A study of the late effect of division of the pulmonary branches of the vagus nerve on the gaseous metabolism, gas exchange, and respiratory mechanism in dogs / by Walter M. Boothby, Boston, and V.N. Shamoff, Petrograd from the surgical service and respiration laboratory of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Mass.

  • Boothby, Walter M.
Date:
[1915?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A study of the late effect of division of the pulmonary branches of the vagus nerve on the gaseous metabolism, gas exchange, and respiratory mechanism in dogs / by Walter M. Boothby, Boston, and V.N. Shamoff, Petrograd from the surgical service and respiration laboratory of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Mass. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    this or any of the other tracings is there any evidence of the per¬ sistence of the rhythmic Cheyne-Stokes type of respiration. The only possible abnormality is the occasional slight prolonga- tion of the pause at the end of expiration. It is therefore probable that the pneumothorax had by this time entirely disappeared. ! Several dogs subsequently operated on showed no signs of this phenomenon, even when branches of both vagi were divided at one stage. Consequently we. decided that the division of the vagus was not the cause of the abnormal respiration of dog No. 11. Finally, we had another and even more marked example of this type of respiration as follows: On removal of the intratracheal tube the dog became cyanotic and it was necessary to reintro¬ duce the tube to maintain life. The respiratory exertions of the animal were extreme and it appeared as though the diaphragm and intercostal muscles might not be working synchronously. On open¬ ing the abdomen, however, we found that the diaphragm and chest muscles were contracting in perfect unison and to an obviously great extent. As the air-way was free, we were at a loss to explain the phenomenon until it was suggested that a pneumothorax existed; on investiga¬ tion the lungs were found two-thirds collapsed. We therefore believe our technic for avoiding pneumothorax in dog No. 11 was faulty and that the Cheyne-Stokes respiration, existing for about a month after the operation, was due to diffi¬ cult aeration of the lungs from the existence of a partial pneu¬ mothorax, and was consequently independent of the vagus op¬ eration. The prolongation of the expiratory phase in Figure IV, four months after the operation, is so slight that it cannot be classed as really abnormal. According to our experiments, the respiratory rhythm is not » Fig. IV. Subject, Dog No. 11. About four months after obtaining the curves in Figures II and III. It shows possibly a slight and irregular prolongation of the pause at the end of ex¬ piration. Time in 5 sec-