Related Experiment Videos
[Carotid sinus syndrome. Description of a case treated by surgical denervation]
R Anastasio1, M Sarpellon, L Facchin
1Divisione Cardiologica, Ospedale Regionale "G.B. Giustinian", Venezla.
Insights
A 43-year-old man
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Autonomic Nervous System
Background:
- Carotid sinus syndrome (CSS) can cause syncope due to hypersensitivity.
- Cardioinhibition in CSS leads to prolonged asystole.
Observation:
- A 43-year-old male presented with syncopal attacks and dizziness.
- Electrophysiological studies ruled out intrinsic cardiac pathology.
- Symptoms were attributed to extrinsic vagal activity from right CSS.
Findings:
- Surgical denervation of the right carotid sinus effectively treated the patient.
- This intervention resolved the syncopal episodes without cardiac pacing.
Implications:
- Surgical denervation is a viable, low-risk treatment for CSS in select patients.
- It offers an alternative to permanent pacemaker implantation for cardioinhibitory syncope.
Abstract:
A 43 years old man suffering from syncopal attacks and episodes of dizziness was found as affected by right carotid sinus syndrome causing cardioinhibition. Excluding all possible specific causes of carotid sinus hypersensitivity and, by means of electrophysiological study, any intrinsic cardiac pathology, was settled that the long pauses of asystole that produce syncopal attacks were of extrinsic vagal nature. Considering the young age of the patient an operation of surgical denervation of the right carotid sinus was decided upon. This simple and riskless treatment allowed the case to be solved without resorting to permanent pacemaker implantation.