Depletion of Ventricular Catecholamine Levels Following Peripulmonary Neurectomy 1

Abstract

Summary

Norepinephrine levels were measured in seven different regions of canine hearts from four groups of animals: controls, animals subjected to section of the ventrolateral cervical cardiac nerve (Group I), animals in which the tissues surrounding the base of the pulmonary artery were dissected (Group II), and a fourth group in which both surgical procedures were done (Group III). Results of this study suggest the following conclusions: (i) The major sympathetic innervation of the ventricles is supplied by fibers which traverse the pulmonary artery and VLCCN; (ii) The major sympathetic innervation of the atria is via some pathway other than the pulmonary artery and VLCCN, although fibers coursing through the peripulmonary region supply a large number of fibers to the atrial myocardium; (iii) The interventricular septum and base of the right ventricle receive their major sympathetic innervation via fibers which pass through the peripulmonary region; (iv) The left ventricle and right ventricular apex are supplied about equally with sympathetic fibers arriving via both pathways studied.