We hereby report a case of cardiorespiratory arrest caused by stellate ganglion block. A 70-year-old man, complaining of sudden hearing impairment in his left ear visited our hopital. He was disgnosed as having sudden deafness of the left ear, and received left stellate ganglion block with 3 m
l of 2% Carbocaine. On the fourth block immediately after withdrawal of the needle, his respiration and pulse became undetectable. Cardiac massage was given immediately, and he recovered within a few minutes.
Among the causes of cardiorespiratory arrest caused by stellate ganglion block, four possibities may be raised. 1) anaphylatic shock by Carbocaine injection, 2) injection with the anesthetic into the left vertebral artery, 3) injection of the drug into subarachnoidal space, 4) irritation by the procedure of the vagal nerve. In this case, irritation of the vagal nerve is considered to be the most probable cause among the above as was suggested by his clinical course.
Stellate ganglion block is thought to be a simple procedure and is easily performed in many hospitals. However, it should be done by well-trained physicians with knowledge of cervical anatomy and enough experience. In addition, resuscitation equipment should always be available when performing this procedure.
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