Acute interruption of major extrinsic cardiac nerves without immediate thoracotomy.

Abstract

The major extrinsic cardiac nerves were severed without immediate thoracotomy in 21 anesthetized dogs. The vagus nerves were sectioned in the midcervical region, and the stellate ganglia and cardiac sympathetic nerves were disrupted by means of wire snares placed around these structures under sterile surgical conditions 5-10 days previously. Denervation was verified by the absence of reflex changes in heart rate and by demonstration of the severed ends of the stellate ganglia and ansa sub-clavia at autopsy.