Carotid Sinus Syndrome: a review of the literature and our experience using carotid sinus denervation.
BACKGROUND
The Carotid Sinus Syndrome (CSS) is a rare condition causing spontaneous syncopal attacks or marked dizziness.


METHODS
We studied 28 patients affected by CSS from January 1991 to October 1996. Eleven patients affected by cardioinhibitory type were treated by pace-maker (PM) implant. Seventeen patients had mixed type and all, but one who refused any treatment, entered this study. Carotid Sinus Denervation (CSD) was first performed in 2 of 10 patients who remained symptomatic after PM and in 6 patients as first choice therapy.


RESULTS
At a mean follow-up of 30 months no patient submitted to CSD had recurrent syncopal attacks or dizziness.


CONCLUSIONS
CSD is a safe and simple technique to abolish either the cardioinhibitory or the vasodepressor response in CSS.
Fachinetti
P
P
Neurosurgery Unit, General Hospital of Varese, Italy.
Bellocchi
S
S
Dorizzi
A
A
Forgione
F N
FN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D003714:Denervation; D004244:Dizziness / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013575:Syncope / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013577:Syndrome