UNILATERAL ADRENALECTOMY, UNILATERAL SPLANCHNIC NERVE RESECTION AND HOMOLATERAL RENAL FUNCTION

Abstract

Simultaneous renal excretions of chloride, water, mannitol, and p-aminohippurate have been detd. for each kidney in the anesthetized dog under the following conditions: (a) control, (b) after unilateral adrenalectomy, (c) after unilateral splanchnic-ectomy, and (d) after bilateral splanchnicectomy and unilateral adrenalectomy. Unilateral adrenalectomy usually results in a greater excretion of chloride and water by the homolateral kidney as compared to the control kidney. The excretion of mannitol and p-aminohippurate is usually slightly greater on the homolateral side. Unilateral splanchnic resection, with or without partial sympathectomy, produces changes which are qualitatively similar but quantitatively greater than those observed after unilateral adrenalectomy. In the bilaterally splanchnic-ectomized dog unilateral adrenalectomy fails to influence relatively the excretion of mannitol, p-aminohippurate, chloride, or water by the homolateral kidney, even when the remaining intact adrenal cortex is stimulated by the admn. of adrenocortico-tropic hormone. It is concluded that unilateral adrenalectomy specifically affected homolateral renal function only in so far as renal nerves were injured.