Superselective vagotomy sparing blood vessels in the rat. A useful tool in stress ulcer prevention

In male Sprague-Dawley rats a microsurgical technique for highly selective vagotomy (HSV; syn. proximal gastric vagotomy) and for superselective vagotomy (SSV; cutting of proximal vagal fibers but sparing the blood vessels) has been developed. Basal acid secretion in both preparations was appr. 60% lower than in sham-operated controls. Acid response to 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (35 mg/kg/h over 4 h) was negative in HSV and SSV rats, whereas in sham rats acid output rose significantly. HSV, during mild stress (= control conditions), renders rats more susceptible to gastric stress ulcerations, whereas SSV with intact mucosal blood flow protects gastric mucosa almost completely. Although SSV, during severe restraint stress, cannot prevent the stress-induced breakdown of mucosal blood flow, gastric ulcerations are reduced to 40% of HSV and sham-operated control rats. SSV appears an elegant tool in stress ulcer research.