 High thoracic epidural anesthesia HTEA can reversibly and regionally block the cardiac sympathetic nervous system. The method was pioneered by Prof. Liu Fengqi in 1995, and he has accumulated clinical experiences from thousands of cases. His anecdotal experience indicates that the method can favorably improve intractable angina, dilated cardiomyopathy, and advanced heart failure. Though the method has been used to treat patients at our center for many years, there has been no prospective trial of its effects on cardiovascular function, or its efficacy to improve clinical outcomes. 