Efficacy and mechanism of stellate ganglion block in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy

Abstract

Objectives Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective technique for carotid artery stenosis and has been widely used. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) has good effect on the treatment of both painful and non-painful diseases. To investigate the efficacy of SGB in terms of cerebral protection in patients undergoing CEA and to analyze its mechanism Methods In this retrospective analysis, 120 patients who underwent CEA were enrolled and divided into study group (SG) (60 cases, general anesthesia and SGB) and control group (CG) (60 cases, general anesthesia). The differences in hemodynamic indexes, middle cerebral artery (MCA) hemodynamic indexes, and endocrine-related indexes between the two groups at the baseline, after induction of anesthesia (induction), and skin incision (incision) were compared. The differences in neurological function and pain level between two groups 1 day pre-operatively (pre-op 1), 1 day postoperatively (POD 1), 2 day postoperatively (POD 2), and 7 day postoperatively (POD 7) were also evaluated. Perioperative adverse events and intraoperative anesthetics dosage were compared between two groups; Results The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean pulse pressure difference, and heart rate of SG at incision were lower than those of the CG ( p < 0.05); Vs, Vd, and Vm of MCA were significantly higher in the SG than in CG at induction and incision ( p < 0.05). Cortisol and aldosterone levels were lower and potassium and insulin levels were higher in the SG than in CG at induction and incision ( p < 0.05); At pre-op 1, POD 1, POD 2, and POD 7, the VAS scores of patients in the SG were significantly lower than those in CG at POD 1, POD 2, and POD 7 ( p < 0.05). The patients in SG showed decreased incidence of perioperative adverse events compared with the CG ( p < 0.05); The consumption of anesthetics in the SG was lower than that in CG ( p < 0.05). Conclusion SGB in patients undergoing CEA treatment can improve perioperative cerebral blood supply and reduce the consumption of anesthetics and the incidence of perioperative adverse events, which is safe and feasible as a cerebral protection measure. Meanwhile, SGB may also help stabilize patients’ perioperative hemodynamic indexes, but the result still needs to be supported by further large sample data.