Experimental Gastric Sympathectomy

Abstract

Mini-pigs (15) were bled to a mean aortic blood pressure of 40 mm Hg and maintained at that level for 3 h. The control group consisted of 8 animals with shock for 3 h, while the test group was comprised of 7 animals with a similar shock period but which had undergone splanchnicectomy 14 days earlier. In all animals a stimulated gastric secretion test was performed 3 days before and 8 days after splanchnicectomy. All animals in the control group showed severe gastric mucosal lesions after shock. The piglets with splanchnicectomy developed no changes (5 animals) or only minor changes (2 animals). The efficacy of splanchnicectomy was confirmed by a stimulated gastric secretion test in which basal acid output did not change after operation, but peak acid output increased significantly. Gastric splanchnicectomy may prevent gastric ulceration following experimental shock.