The effect of celiac plexus block on heart rate variability.
BACKGROUND
Celiac plexus block (CPB) can be used for treating intra-abdominal visceral pain syndromes. The celiac plexus is the largest plexus of the sympathetic nervous system. Several nerve blocks have a marked effect on autonomic nervous activity. Furthermore, stellate ganglion block changes cardiac autonomic nervous activity. Thus, CPB could influence the sympathetic activity of the cardiac plexus. The aim of the present study was to see whether CPB modulated heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Twelve patients received neurolytic CPB using 14 ml absolute alcohol. Data recorded in a palm-sized electrocardiographic unit were analyzed for HRV.


RESULTS
CPB using a neurolytic solution did not induce any significant changes in the low-frequency (LF)/high-frequency (HF) ratio of HRV (LF/HF, P = 0.4642). Furthermore, the procedure did not induce any significant changes in blood pressure (systolic, P = 0.5051; diastolic, P = 0.5180).


CONCLUSIONS
CPB did not induce any significant changes in HRV or hemodynamics.
Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Aichi Medical University, School of Medicine, 21 Karimata, Nagakutecho, Aichigun, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan. arainon@aichi-med-u.ac.jp
Young-Chang P
YC
Arai
Atsuko
A
Morimoto
Hiroki
H
Sakurai
Yusuke
Y
Ohmichi
Shuichi
S
Aono
Makoto
M
Nishihara
Jun
J
Sato
Takahiro
T
Ushida
Shinsuke
S
Inoue
Makoto
M
Kurisuno
Yuji
Y
Kobayashi
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002447:Celiac Plexus; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D019277:Entropy; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects