Unilateral Carotid Body Resection in Resistant Hypertension: A Safety and Feasibility Trial
Narkiewicz K., Ratcliffe LEK., Hart EC., Briant LJB., Chrostowska M., Wolf J., Szyndler A., Hering D., Abdala AP., Manghat N., Burchell AE., Durant C., Lobo MD., Sobotka PA., Patel NK., Leiter JC., Engelman ZJ., Nightingale AK., Paton JFR.
© 2016 The Authors Animal and human data indicate pathological afferent signaling emanating from the carotid body that drives sympathetically mediated elevations in blood pressure in conditions of hypertension. This first-in-man, proof-of-principle study tested the safety and feasibility of unilateral carotid body resection in 15 patients with drug-resistant hypertension. The procedure proved to be safe and feasible. Overall, no change in blood pressure was found. However, 8 patients showed significant reductions in ambulatory blood pressure coinciding with decreases in sympathetic activity. The carotid body may be a novel target for treating an identifiable subpopulation of humans with hypertension.