Reflex effects of descending colon distension on coronary blood flow in anesthetized dogs

To find out whether distension of the descending colon reflexly affects coronary blood flow, experiments were performed in nine dogs anesthetized with pentobarbitone. The descending colon was isolated between ligatures and distended with warm Ringer solution at a steady intraluminal pressure. Arterial blood pressure was prevented from changing by withdrawing blood from the left femoral artery. In two of the nine dogs the arterial blood pressure was also kept constant by tightening a plastic snare round the thoracic aorta. The reflex increase in heart rate was prevented by atrial pacing. Distension of the descending colon at constant heart rate and arterial blood pressure always caused a decrease in mean coronary blood flow, amounting to 2.44 +/- 1.8 ml/min (mean +/- SD), equal to a percent decrease of 14.3 +/- 10.5. This response was completely abolished by section of the hypogastric nerves, thus demonstrating that a reflex mechanism is involved.