Successful treatment of a PTSD patient with psychosis and dissociative identity disorder us ing cervical sympathetic block: A Case Report

ABSTRACT The objective of this report is to highlight the effective use of cervical sympathetic block (CSB) in treating a patient diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative identity disorder (DID), and psychosis (PSY), while also discussing possible mechanisms of action that could explain these findings. Previous studies have demonstrated successful treatment of psychosis and PTSD using CSB, but there have been no reported cases of its application for DID. Over a three-year period, the patient and her husband noted significant improvements after she received three CSB treatments. Specific improvements included a marked reduction in PTSD symptoms, psychotic episodes, and dissociative behaviors. The frequency and intensity of hallucinations decreased significantly. Furthermore, the number of distinct personalities the patient exhibited dropped from a baseline of 10 to 15 down to just 3 to 5 by the time of reporting. Notably, her dominant personality shifted from one she referred to as "Monster" to "Matriarch," a personality she described as calm, content, less reactive, and nurturing. In conclusion, CSB is a minimally invasive procedure with an excellent safety profile that may offer sustained relief for patients experiencing symptoms of PTSD, psychosis, and dissociative identity disorder. This procedure could provide significant benefits for individuals who are resistant to conventional treatments, and further studies are recommended to explore its efficacy.