Abstract:Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of arc edge needle scalpel combined with C2 level ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve block in the treatment of greater occipital neuralgia. Methods: Eighty-four patients with greater occipital neuralgia were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different treatment options, they were divided into the control group and the combination group. The control group was treated with C2 level ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve block (GONB), and the combined group was treated with arc edge needle scalpel (AENS) combined with C2 level ultrasound-guided GONB. Numerical rating scale (NRS), Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) and global perceived effect (GPE) were followed up and analyzed before treatment and the 7th day, the 1st months and the 3rd month after treatment. Results: At the 7th days and the 1st month after treatment, the NRS, HIT-6 and GPE scores of the combination group and the control group were (1.5± 0.2 vs. 2.5± 0.4、1.8 ± 0.3 vs. 2.8± 0.4), (1.8 ± 0.2 vs. 2.8 ± 0.4、2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 3.9 ± 0.5), (6.0 ± 0.1 vs. 5.5 ± 0.2、5.9 ± 0.1 vs. 5.4 ± 0.2), (P < 0.05), respectively. At the 3rd months the NRS, HIT-6 and GPE scores of the two groups were 1.7 ± 0.3 vs. 3.1 ± 0.4, 2.2 ± 0.4 vs. 4.5 ± 0.6, and 5.8 ± 0.1 vs. 5.1 ± 0.2, respectively. The combined group decreased more significant (P < 0.01). No serious adverse reactions were observed in both groups. Conclusions: AENS combined C2 level GONB can significantly reduce greater occipital neuralgia, and the curative effect is stable at the 3rd months follow-up, which is more effective than GONB alone.