Studies in Renal Denervation (IV)

Abstract

I. Distribution of Intra-arterially Injected Oleokoniol. Rabbits were anesthetized with ether, a lumbar incision made, the viscera pushed to one side, and the aorta isolated and elevated proximal to the renal arteries. The aorta distal to the renal arteries was also isolated and a ligature applied. A hypodermic needle was inserted in the proximal portion of the aorta and Oleokoniol was slowly injected. The needle was left in place several minutes thereafter to allow for the distribution of the material, and then the proximal portion of the aorta was clamped and the animal killed. The kidneys were removed, sectioned, and stained with Sudan III and hematoxylin. Microscopic examination revealed that the oil was distributed equally on both sides. This procedure was repeated on animals denervated according to the technique of Milles, Müller and Petersen. The left kidney was denervated and the right kidney kept intact for control. The animals were allowed to recover for 2 to 3 weeks before injections were undertaken. Microscopic examination revealed that the denervated kidneys contained more oil than normal kidneys. This agrees with the findings of Milles, Müller and Petersen, who described the dilatation of the vascular bed in denervated kidneys. II. Bacterial Embolism in the Normal and Denervated Kidney. After having experimented with bacterial suspensions in denervated kidneys, and having determined that the control kidney contained more emboli than the denervated kidney, the effect of chilling and of injection of epinephrine, followed by the intravenous injection of an attenuated Staphylococcus suspension was tried. Rabbits in whom the left kidney had been denervated were used. A 2-week as well as a 2-month recovery period was allowed. The animals were chilled in a bucket of crushed ice and water, until a severe chill had developed.