Relation of supersensitivity to cerebral vasospasm induced by oxyhaemoglobin

There have been reports that superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCG) is effective as a treatment for cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). On the other hand, denervation supersensitivity is supposed to play an important role in vasospasm. The two accounts contradict each other. To investigate this problem, various examinations were performed using the exposed basilar arteries of cats. We have accepted that oxyhaemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) is an important spasmogenic substance. Therefore, the change in vascular reactivity to Oxy-Hb was investigated after various kinds of denervations. It was confirmed that Oxy-Hb has no adrenergic receptor agonist properties because the Oxy-Hb inducing vasospasm was not suppressed by Prazosin or phenoxybenzamine. As a result of this, it is not likely that augmentation of Oxy-Hb inducing vasospasm is caused by deviation supersensitivity. Thus, the non-deviation supersensitivity became a topic of investigation. The basilar arteries were denervated by chemical treatment (reserpine, 6-hydroxydopamine) or bilateral SCG to examine the change in the reactivity to noradrenaline or Oxy-Hb. An increase in reactivity to noradrenaline was observed with the denervations. In contrast, no change in reactivity to Oxy-Hb was found. In conclusion, it was observed that deviation and non-deviation supersensitivity do not participate in vasospasm, in so far as vasospasm is caused by Oxy-Hb.