Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block on the Incidence of Cardiac Arrhythmia and Myocardial Ischemia after Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT Large number of patients undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) each year worldwide. Recently, there have been major advances in techniques used in CABG surgery in order to assure better success rates and reduce complication rates. Thus, there has been a move toward newer methods such as minimal access and off cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery are now in routine practice in many centers around the world to reduce the rates of postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay. Despite such advances, patients that present for CABG surgery nowadays are relatively older and frailer with multiple cardiopulmonary and other comorbidities as compared to patients operated on in the last century. Therefore, the risk of significant post-operative morbidity and mortality still exists.