The Effect of Atropine on Trigeminocardiac Reflex-induced Hemodynamic Changes During Therapeutic Compression of the Trigeminal Ganglion.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous compression of the trigeminal ganglion (PCTG) can induce significant hemodynamic perturbations secondary to the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of atropine pretreatment on hemodynamic responses during PCTG for trigeminal neuralgia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients who received PCTG were randomly assigned to control and atropine groups that were pretreated with saline (n=60) and atropine 0.004 mg/kg intravenously (n=60), respectively. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured at 9 timepoints from before induction of anesthesia until the end of the PCTG procedure; the incidence of TCR was also observed. RESULTS: HR was higher in the atropine compared with control group from the time of skin puncture with the PCTG needle until after the procedure was completed (P<0.05). MAP was also higher in the atropine compared with control group, but only at entry of the needle into the foramen ovale until 1 minute after trigeminal ganglion compression (P<0.05). HR was reduced in both groups during entry of the needle into the foramen ovale and during ganglion compression, but less so in the atropine compared with the control group (P<0.05). MAP increased during PCTG compared with baseline in both groups, but with a larger increase in the atropine group (P<0.05). Two and 52 cases in the control group, and 6 and 1 cases in the atropine group, exhibited a TCR during entry of the needle into the foramen ovale and at ganglion compression, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with atropine was effective in most patients at minimizing abrupt reduction in HR during PCTG.