2008 Volume 101 Issue 9 Pages 699-702
A 62-year-old man with terminal laryngeal cancer developed repetitive syncope attacks each time he moved his neck. He was thereby forced to endure strict bed rest, severely limiting his activities of daily living. From clinical manifestations, radiographic findings, and cardiovascular examinations, he was diagnosed as having carotid sinus syndrome caused by tumor invasion to the carotid bifurcation. He was administered anti-cholinergic and steroid drugs, but those were ineffective. Because the patient and his family wished to continue home care, he then underwent cardiac pacemaker implantation. The syncope attack completely disappeared thereafter, and his activities of daily living and thus quality of life dramatically improved. He survived for 239 days after implantation with a total home care period of 191 days. We conclude that advanced medical technology including pacemaker treatment can provide a significant and effective means to relieve patients even with terminal cancer.
