[Changes in the adrenergic structures of the human stellate ganglia in pathological states]

Stellate ganglia from patients who had succumbed to various diseases were examined by a fluorescent histochemical technique using 2% glyoxylic acid. Catecholamines were detectable in the major neurons, in small intensely fluorescent cells, and in adrenergic fibers with varicosities at levels that varied with the patient's age, cause of death, duration of the agonal period, the treatment administered, and the time when the material had been taken after death. All adrenergic structures of the ganglia were clearly demonstrable after early autopsies of those who had died suddenly from pulmonary artery thromboembolism in the absence of other abnormalities. The ganglia were found to be greatly depleted of catecholamines in cases of sudden cardiac death in the presence of ischemic heart disease before the development of myocardial infarction as well as in those of rapid death from stroke.