Postoperative hypertension effect of carotid sinus denervation

Postoperative arterial blood pressures were monitored in 43 patients who had undergone bilateral neck dissection during a 6-week period at Ankara Numune Hospital’s IInd Otorhinolaryngology Department. During the first operations, all cases received carotid sinus denervation, whereas no denervation was done for the opposite side dissections held 6 weeks later. Study and control groups were composed of the same patients to achieve an objective outcome for the risk of postoperative hypertension. Hypertension was observed in 10 (23%) of 43 patients after the first operations and 12 (28%) of 43 patients after the opposite side dissections, for which no carotid denervation was done. The difference between the rates was insignificant statistically. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;121:150-2.)