Longitudinal Follow-up of Superior Laryngeal Nerve Block for Chronic Neurogenic Cough

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate longitudinal follow-up for patients who underwent in-office superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) block with lidocaine and steroids for chronic neurogenic cough. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal follow-up study over 10 months. SETTING: Clinical. METHODS: A retrospective review of 30 patients who underwent in-office nerve block to the SLN for neurogenic cough, including the 10 patients whose outcomes were originally published in 2019. RESULTS: Thirty patients in this study who underwent a series of SLN blocks showed significant improvement in cough severity index (CSI). The average number of blocks was 3 (range, 2-8). Twelve patients underwent initial SLN block to the left side and 18 patients underwent initial SLN block to the right side. The mean follow-up from the first SLN block was 5.3 months. The mean pretreatment and posttreatment CSI scores were 27 and 11, respectively, for all 30 patients who underwent an SLN block. A Wilcoxon signed rank test shows that there is a significant effect on CSI (W = 2, z = −4.659, P < .05). The mean longitudinal follow-up for the original 10 patients was 10 months from the first SLN block, with none of these patients receiving any further treatment for their cough. CONCLUSION: Superior laryngeal nerve block is an effective long-term treatment for neurogenic cough. No additional treatment was required within 10 months of the SLN block. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.