Pathological Changes in Arteries Following Partial Denervation.

Abstract

In a study of the innervation of the arteries of the extremities, segments of the vessels obtained from experimental animals killed at intervals varying from 5 weeks to 3 months following unilateral extirpation of the lumbar sympathetic trunk and the inferior cervical sympathetic ganglion, with or without ligation and section of the femoral and brachial arteries on the opposite side, were prepared by the pyridin silver method. Preparation of the vessels which had been ligated and sectioned still show an abundant nerve supply, though somewhat reduced as compared with that of the normal control vessels. Preparation of the vessels of the sympathectomized limbs show still further reduction in the nerve supply, but still exhibit relatively large bundles of nerve fibers both in the adventitia and the media. The reduction in the number of nerve fibers following sympathectomy is more marked in the arteries of the fore-limb than in those of the hind limb. Obviously some of the nerve fibers supplying the arteries of the extremities run along the vessel walls, while others join the vessels via the somatic nerves of the extremities.

Pathological changes in the wall of the arteries following such partial denervation were studied in preparation obtained from a goat about 8 months old, and a kitten. Both these animals had been subjected to extirpation of the left lumbar sympathetic trunk. In the case of the goat, the left inferior cervical sympathetic ganglion was also removed, The kitten was allowed to live 3 months, the goat 6 weeks following operation. Segments of the vessels were fixed in Zenker's fluid, sectioned and stained with Verhoeff's elastic tissue stain.