Responses of canine endocardium to stimulation of the upper thoracic roots

Abstract

In each of 10 mongrel dogs anesthetized with alpha chloralose, strain-gauge arches were sutured to five epicardial and three endocardial locations. Comparisons of contractile force responses during stimulation of the left and right roots of the same segmental level revealed several differences dependent upon the particular myocardial area observed. Of the three left ventricular endocardial areas studied, the interventricular septum was the most responsive, particularly during stimulation of the right roots. The basal free wall and posterior papillary muscle were more responsive to left-root than to right-root stimulations. Epicardial responses were consistent with those previously reported. Generally, all areas responded to the greatest degree during stimulation of the second roots with the third and first next in order of effectiveness. Although stimulation of each level of preganglionic outflow activated all epicardial and endocardial segments of the myocardium, the magnitude of the changes in contractile force were highly variable dependent upon the specific level of preganglionic outflow and the location of the strain-gauge arch.