Instrumentation of ramus circumflexus compromises the innervation of coronary artery and myocardium

A fine non-compressing methacrylate ring was implanted on the ramus circumflexus (RC) in 13 dogs. After the animals survived 7-14 days, the distribution and the rate of the Wallerian degeneration was studied in coronary arteries and myocardium by means of the formaldehyde induced fluorescence (FIF) technique and the transmission electron microscopy. The density of vasomotor innervation in the main arterial trunks was expressed as the number of transsected terminals per 1 mm2 of the transversally sectioned media; the density of adrenergic terminals in the myocardium was determined by the point-counting method. A compact scar encompassing the ring was found. The scar compressed some perivascular nerves. As a consequence, by about 40% of terminals degenerated in the RC. The innervation of the branching of this artery was compromised as well. Moreover, the density of nerve terminals in myocardium decreased around the whole circumference of the ventricles and in the septum, equally by 29%. The value was lower than that found after the instrumentation of ramus interventricularis anterior (50%). The results indicate (i) a compromise of the innervation of coronary artery and myocardium after the instrumentation of RC; (ii) the different decrease in density of nerve terminals in the myocardium suggests that majority of adrenergic nerve supply for ventricle myocardium is running along ramus interventricularis anterior.