Selective ablation of atrial ganglionated plexus attenuates vasovagal reflex in a canine model

Atrial ganglionated plexus (GP) ablation was proved to have therapeutic effects on vasovagal syncope. The study aimed to investigate whether selective ablation of only right anterior GP (ARGP) and right inferior GP (IRGP) was effective in a canine model of vasovagal syncope.

Seventeen mongrel dogs were divided into control (N = 10) and ablation group (N = 7). Bilateral thoracotomy was performed at the fourth intercostal space and ARGP and IRGP were ablated in the ablation group. A bolus of veratridine (15 ug/kg) was injected into the left atrium to induce vasovagal reflex. Surface electrocardiogram and blood pressure (BP) were continuously monitored. Heart rate (HR) variability was calculated to represent cardiac autonomic tone.

Veratridine injection induced vasovagal reflex in all dogs. HR decreased from 149 ± 17 to 89 ± 33 beats/min (P < 0.001) in the control group, while in the ablation group HR decreased from 141 ± 35 to 125 ± 34 beats/min (P = 0.032). The postveratridine HR in the ablation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P = 0.045). A significantly less intense HR decrease was observed in the ablation group compared with control (-17 ± 16 vs -61 ± 34 beats/min, P = 0.006). Significant BP decreases were induced in both the groups (all P < 0.01), while no evident differences in postveratridine BP and the extent of BP decreases were found between the groups. HR variability revealed significant decrease in cardiac vagal tone after ablation [high-frequency power, 0.50 (0.17-1.05) vs 6.28 (0.68-8.99) ms² , P = 0.005].

Selective ablation of ARGP + IRGP weakened cardiac parasympathetic control and significantly attenuated the cardioinhibitory response in an animal model of vasovagal reflex. This ablation strategy might be effective for vasovagal syncope with evident cardioinhibitory response.