ArticleFrontiers in physiology2026
Resolution of 20-year refractory hiccups with ultrasound-guided phrenic nerve radiofrequency modulation and bilateral stellate ganglion block: a case report.
Article in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Chronic refractory hiccups significantly impair quality of life, especially with prolonged symptom duration. This case highlights the therapeutic potential of a combined interventional approach in managing chronic refractory hiccups, particularly in patients with prolonged symptom duration unresponsive to conventional treatments. A 52-year-old man presented with a 20-year history of persistent, debilitating hiccups, often triggered after meals and resistant to pharmacological therapy. His symptoms had worsened in recent years, occasionally accompanied by reflux and vomiting, with minimal relief from anti-reflux medications and neural supplements. Further evaluation revealed pathological acid reflux and excessive supra-gastric belching, suggesting gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a contributing factor. After comprehensive assessment and informed consent, the patient underwent a series of ultrasound-guided interventions, including bilateral stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) and phrenic nerve blocks. Although initial symptom relief was achieved, hiccups partially recurred, prompting the use of pulsed radiofrequency modulation (PNRF) of the phrenic nerve in combination with targeted analgesic injections. Following treatment, the patient experienced a significant and sustained reduction in hiccup frequency and severity, with only occasional brief relapses. Continued follow-up and additional sessions of phrenic nerve modulation resulted in further symptom control. This case underscores the effectiveness of integrating sympathetic and somatic nerve modulation, particularly ultrasound-guided SGB and PNRF, in cases of intractable hiccups. Such a multimodal, image-guided strategy may offer meaningful relief for patients suffering from chronic, treatment-resistant hiccups and demonstrates the value of personalized, interventional pain management in complex functional disorders.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.