Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 1987 Aug;50(8):1063-6.
doi: 10.1136/jnnp.50.8.1063.

Neck tumour with syncope due to paroxysmal sympathetic withdrawal

J Onrot  1 , R G Wiley, A Fogo, I Biaggioni, D Robertson, A S Hollister
Affiliations
Case Reports

Neck tumour with syncope due to paroxysmal sympathetic withdrawal

J Onrot et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1987 Aug.

Abstract

A patient with recurrent squamous carcinoma metastatic to the neck after radical neck dissection and high dose radiation therapy developed paroxysmal hypotensive episodes that were severe, spontaneous and characterised by suppressed sympathetic but not enhanced parasympathetic activity. Intravenous pressors were successful in treating acute episodes but neither drug therapy nor surgical neck exploration reliably prevented syncopal attacks. Glossopharyngeal and/or vagal nerve infiltration by tumour with episodic activation of the afferent limb of the baroreflex arc producing vasodilatation primarily due to sympathetic withdrawal is the likely mechanism of life threatening syncope in this patient.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Mayo Clin Proc. 1969 Feb;44(2):127-39 - PubMed
    1. J Laryngol Otol. 1977 Oct;91(10):859-68 - PubMed
    1. Br Med J. 1979 Feb 10;1(6160):379-80 - PubMed
    1. Circulation. 1979 Apr;59(4):637-43 - PubMed
    1. Arch Intern Med. 1979 Nov;139(11):1281-4 - PubMed

Publication types