EFFECTS ON ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS AND HEMODYNAMIC VARIABLES AFTER A STELLATE GANGLION BLOCK IN 15 HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS



Katia Puente de la Vega Costa (a), Miquel A. Gómez (b), Cristina Roqueta (c), Lorenz Fischer (a)
(a) Department of Neural Therapy, IKOM, University of Bern, Inselspital, PH 4, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
(b) Cardiology Department, Hospital del Mar, Passeig Marítim 25-29, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
(c) Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Edifici W - UD de Medicina de la Vall d'Hebron, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 119, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 197 (2016) 46–55

ABSTRACT
Background: The sympathetic nervous system has an important role in generating pain. Various pathomechanisms are involved that respond well to the application of local anesthetics (LA), for example to the stellate ganglion block (SGB).
Objectives:We wanted to know more about the effects of SGB on cardiovascular parameters.
Methods:Weincluded 15 healthy volunteers; another 15 healthy volunteers as a control group (shaminjection of LA). In order to produce a more precise SGB, we employed only a small volume of LA (3 mL), a LA with a lower permeability (procaine 1%), and amodified injection technique. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), and echocardiographic parameters were recorded before and after SGB. We also investigated whether there are side differences (left and right SBG).
Results: At baseline all parameterswere within the normal range. After performing right and left SGB DBP significantly increased (on the right side from68.73±8.61 to 73.53±11.10, p=0.015; on the left side from70.66± 13.01 to 77.93 ± 10.40, p = 0.003). In the control group no increase in DBP was observed. No side-specific differences were found, except a significant reduction in the maximum velocity of myocardial contraction during the systole with left-sided SGB.
Conclusions: Even with our methods we could not prevent the simultaneous occurrence of a partial parasympatholytic effect. For this reason, the SGB has only minor hemodynamic effects, which is desirable as it enhances the safety of the SGB.

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