Sympathetic trunk

The sympathetic trunk, also known as the sympathetic chain, is an anatomical structure comprising a paired series of ganglia located paravertebrally from the base of the skull to the coccyx [1][2]. It serves as a critical conduit for the autonomic nervous system, facilitating the transmission of sympathetic signals that govern the body's involuntary "fight-or-flight" responses, such as thermoregulation, heart rate modulation, and vascular tone [1]. While the sympathetic trunk is not a specific molecule or receptor, it is a significant clinical target for interventional procedures, including surgical sympathectomy and chemical nerve blocks [3]. These interventions aim to interrupt overactive sympathetic pathways in patients suffering from conditions like primary focal hyperhidrosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) [3][4]. Pharmacological interaction at the trunk level typically involves local anesthetics that inhibit action potential propagation or neurolytic agents used for permanent disruption of neural signaling [4].

Other names

Sympathetic chainParavertebral gangliaGangliated cordTruncus sympathicus

Intervention at the sympathetic trunk typically involves the use of local anesthetics to block voltage-gated sodium channels, inhibiting nerve conduction, or the application of neurolytic agents to cause chemical destruction of the ganglia [3][4].