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P188 Continuous stellate ganglion block: an effective treatment for electric storm

rapm · 2025-09-10 · canonical JSON source

7 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Background and Aims Electrical storm (ES) is a life-threatening condition defined as three or more episodes of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) within 24 hours. It poses a significant clinical challenge, especially when standard anti-arrhythmic therapies fail. In refractory cases, stellate ganglion block (SGB) has emerged as a promising therapeutic option.Methods A 55-year-old man with hypertension and extensive coronary artery disease, who had previously experienced two episodes of ES and received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), was admitted with drug-refractory ES. ICD recorded more than 20 shocks before admission. In the intensive care unit, the patient continued to present with recurrent VA with hemodynamic instability, requiring repeated cardioversion. An ultrasound-guided continuous left SGB was performed. A bolus of 8 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine was administered, followed by a continuous infusion at 3 mL/h via an elastomeric pump.Results Within 10 minutes, the patient developed sinus bradycardia and achieved hemodynamic stabilization. Continuous SGB was maintained until catheter ablation was accomplished.Conclusions Even after reversible causes have been addressed and anti-arrhythmic therapy initiated, catheter ablation is still often required to achieve long-term control of ES, though it may not be immediately available. Both thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) and continuous SGB have proven efficacy in managing refractory cases. Compared to TEA, SGB is easier to perform, less invasive and associated with fewer complications. The continuous approach, in particular, offers extended sympathetic blockade with sustained arrhythmia suppression, standing as a valuable bridging strategy until definitive treatment can be completed.