We report a case of immediate reproducible and reflexive response of asystole upon stimulation of Onyx injection during embolization of a tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula in a 53-year-old man. Upon recognition of the reflexive relationship between Onyx injection and increased vagal tone, the patient was given anticholinergic in an effort to block cholinergic hyperactivity. After atropine w...

INTRODUCTION The trigemino-cardiac reflex is defined as the sudden onset of parasympathetic dysrhythmia, sympathetic hypotension, apnea, or gastric hypermotility during stimulation of any of the sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve. Clinically, trigemino-cardiac reflex has been reported to occur during neurosurgical skull-base surgery. Apart from the few clinical reports, the physiological ...

We describe the discovery of the trigemino-cardiac reflex by Schaller in 1999 and the continued improvement of the knowledge about the trigemino-cardiac reflex involved in neurosurgery, especially in skull base surgery, during the past several years. The achieved medical progress could be gained only by the practical experience described by different case reports and later case series that have...

Using the dog as an experimental model, the relationship of the Thoracic Compression Reflex (TCR) to the Heimlich Maneuver (HM) was examined. TCR was equally effective as lateral chest compression in relieving artificially induced choke. Destruction of the TCR by vagotomy rendered relief of choke by HM ineffectual in 5 of 8 dogs. It was concluded TCR may be a factor in HM, but that mechanical c...