The Stellate Institute
SOF Competency:
Evidence-Based & Effective Care:
Quality & Ethics:
Private
- Wounded Warrior & Caregiver
- Clinical Care/Interventions
Audience
Spouse, Service Member/Veteran
Status
Gold Star Families, Active Duty, Veteran, Guard, Reserves
Branch
Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy
Evidence-Based & Effective Care:
Quality & Ethics:
Quality & Ethics:
- Wounded Warrior & Caregiver
- Clinical Care/Interventions
Audience
Status
Branch
Our mission:
– Serve as the world expert in applying new variants of the stellate ganglion block procedure to treat the injury of trauma.
– Provide compassionate world-class care to our patients
– Continue to publish research as well as educate both our patients and other clinicians on the benefits of SGB as a fusion between biologic and psychologic treatments for trauma.
– Advocate on a national level for those struggling with PTSD
Contact
Service Location(s)
Annapolis, Maryland (MD)Programs & Services
The stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a procedure in which an injection of a long-acting local anesthetic, using ultrasound guidance, is made in the side of the neck around the main nerve that controls the “fight or flight” response (the sympathetic nervous system). This nerve, (the cervical sympathetic chain) which is a two-way conduit, connects the parts of the brain that control the fight or flight response (referred to as the central autonomic network) to the rest of the body. By blocking or “turning off” the traffic in the cervical sympathetic chain, it is believed that the parts of the brain that control the fight or flight response are allowed to completely reset, resulting in long-term relief of the associated anxiety symptoms. Multiple peer-reviewed medical studies show that SGB results in significant long-term improvement in chronic anxiety symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). The SGB takes less than 15 minutes to perform, and benefits are seen in as little as 30 minutes. Family members are welcome to participate in the entire appointment, including counseling and to be present for the procedure.
Drs. Mulvaney and Lynch pioneered this treatment in SOCOM Tier 1 units beginning in 2009. Since that time, they have performed over 4,000 SGBs.
Funding/Cost
– Most insurers do not cover SGB as a treatment for PTSD. This means that you will most likely have to pay for your procedure out-of-pocket or apply for funding through a nonprofit organization.
– The cost of an SGB at The Stellate Institute is $1200 ($800 for Veteran/Active Duty) for a one or two-level block on the same side. If you are requesting that an SGB be performed on both the right and left sides (this requires 2 appointments with at least 12 hours between procedures), the cost is $2000 ($1600 for Veteran/ Active Duty) total.
Last reviewed: 06/07/2023
