Asystole via Trigeminocardiac Reflex during Skin Flap Elevation in a Patient Undergoing Craniotomy for Cerebral Aneurysm Clipping: A case report.

Kim,  Ji Yeon; Park,  Jang Su; Baek,  Dong Jin; Lee,  Sang Il; Kim,  Kyung Tae; Choe,  Won Joo; Kim,  Jung Won

doi:2008.54.2.220

Korean J Anesthesiol > Volume 54(2); 2008 > Article

Case Report

Korean Journal of Anesthesiology 2008;54(2):220-224.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2008.54.2.220

Asystole via Trigeminocardiac Reflex during Skin Flap Elevation in a Patient Undergoing Craniotomy for Cerebral Aneurysm Clipping: A case report.

Ji Yeon Kim, Jang Su Park, Dong Jin Baek, Sang Il Lee, Kyung Tae Kim, Won Joo Choe, Jung Won Kim

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University Collge of Medicine, Goyang, Korea. jspark@ilsanpaik.ac.kr

Abstract

The trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) consists of the sudden development of severe bradycardia or even asystole with arterial hypotension during manipulation of branches of the trigeminal nerve. TCR can occur during craniofacial surgery, rhizolysis of the trigeminal ganglion, and tumour resection in the cerebellopontine angle. We report a case of TCR-induced asystole during skin flap elevation in a patient undergoing craniotomy for cerebral aneurysm clipping.

Key Words: asystole; bradycardia; craniotomy; hypotension; trigeminocardiac reflex