AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 244, Issue 4 607-H613, Copyright © 1983 by American Physiological Society
Selective denervation of the heart
W. C. Randall, J. X. Thomas Jr, M. J. Barber and L. E. Rinkema
Total denervation of the canine heart consisted of intrapericardial neural
dissection of the left atrium, left superior pulmonary vein, and main
pulmonary artery and cutting of the ventrolateral cardiac nerve (stage I).
The fat pad and all nerves were removed from between the pulmonary artery
and aorta (stage II). Dissection proceeded from the pericardial reflection
along the superior vena cava to the azygos vein, which was cleared, double
tied, and cut. The right pulmonary artery was cleaned, and the superior
right atrium was dissected to its intersection with the left atrium (stage
III). Denervation was tested by electrical stimulation of both vagi and
stellate ganglia, while recording inotropic, chronotropic, and dromotropic
events, before and after each stage. Stage I deleted most left autonomic
input to the heart without interrupting right sympathetics. Stage II
completed left autonomic denervation but preserved much of the right
sympathetic input. Large nerves along the dorsal surface of the pulmonary
artery carried inputs from both left and right sympathetics. Stage III
completed the denervation of atrioventricular and sinoatrial nodal
structures and removed all remaining ventricular inotropic influences.
Selective denervation of atrioventricular and sinoatrial nodal regions
appears feasible for preparation of chronic canine models.
