ATTEMPT TO DEMONSTRATE VASCULAR BY-PASSES IN THE KIDNEY (THE TRUETA PHENOMENON)

Abstract

In rabbits anesthetized with nembutal, intra-arterial injn. of India ink gave evidence of diversion of blood from cortical to juxtamedullary glomeruli only during the action of moderate doses of epinephrine or after the renal circulation had been at a complete standstill for 10 min. or more. Stimulation of the sciatic nerve elicited no such effect. In similar expts. on dogs no evidence of the Trueta phenomenon could be obtained under any circumstances. Studies of renal blood flow (Brodie method in rabbits, bubble flow-meter in dogs) constantly showed a diminution during sciatic stimulation or epinephrine action. Studies of oxygen content of renal venous blood in both spp. indicated only a decrease under the same circumstances. No evidence was ever found of the arterialization of renal venous blood described by Trueta et al. Under the conditions of these experiments therefore no confirmation was obtained of the existence of renal vascular shunts opened by sciatic nerve stimulation in dogs or rabbits. The partial confirmation by ink injn. in rabbits during epinephrine action may mean only that the walls of the afferent arterioles in the rabbit renal cortex are prone to stick together when they have been collapsed.