PERIPHERAL SYMPATHETIC NERVE DURING OPERATION UNDER ACUPUNCTURE ANESTHESIA

Zheng Xiaozhao, Cheng Lanying, Zhou Shu, Zhou Shuyi, Huang Manying

(Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing)

It has been shown in our clinical practice that acupuncture may stabilize the sympathetic nervous function. On experimental dog model with subtotal gastrectomy under acupuncture anesthesia, a further study of this project has been made.

The experiments were divided into 4 groups: 1- acupuncture was given without operation (10 cases); 2. operation was performed under acupuncture alone (11 cases); 3. Operation was performed under acupuncture combined with basal anesthetic drugs, as Dolan-tin, i.v, Img/kg, atropine 0.3mg i.m., local infiltration of small dose of procaine around the gastric arteries (23 cases: grade I 14, grade II 9); 4. operation was done neither under acupuncture nor basal drugs (3 cases).

Blood samples were taken from femoral vein before acupuncture, and after acupuncture induction and during the operation. The plasma NA level and DBH activity were determined with radioenzymetic and spectrophotometric assay respectively.

Before acupuncture the plasma NA level was 0,45±0.02 ng/ml, activity of DBH was 23.86±5.13 nm/200ul/hr, NA/DBH ratio was 0.0188. After acupuncture induction plasma NA increased to 126%, DHB activity lowered to 91.1%, NA/DBH ratio increased to 136.2%. In group of operation under acupuncture alone NA, DBH, NA/DBH ratio increased to 188%, 110.8%, 155.9% respectively as compared to the value before acupuncture. In group of operation without acupuncture and basal drugs, NA, DBH, NA/DBH increased to 305%, 110% and 197.9% respectively. During operation under acupuncture combined with basal anesthetic drugs, NA level was 104.3%, DBH activity was 98.8%, NA/DBH was 106.2% in grade I cases. In grade II cases NA, DBH and NA/DBH ratio were 94.9%, 85.1%, 111.6%. These values were compared to those after acupuncture but before operation remained unchanged. This fact showed that small dose of basal anesthetic drugs given after acupuncture could enhance the action of acupuncture in stabilizing the sympathetic nervous system.

The above results showed, there was a positive correlation between the changes of plasma DBH activity and the NA level (r=0.335, P<0.02). Because the change of NA was more obvious than DBH, There was the more positive correlation between NA and NA/DBH <r=0.959, P<0.001). We assumed that if NA level, DBH activity and NA/DBH ratio be used together, the dynamic functional state of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system could be better reflected.