[A model for perfusing the carotid body in the awake goat and its evaluation]

A model for perfusing the carotid body (CB) in the awake goat was described in detail. The main surgical procedures were: (1) to ligate the occipital artery, cut the carotid sinus nerve and excise the CB on one side; (2) to rearrange some arteries, which supply the brain and neck on the other side (perfusion side), for isolating the CB; (3) to place cannulae in the jugular vein and the carotid artery for drawing blood and perfusing the intact CB on the perfusion side. Perfusion of the CB with goat own blood can be carried out via an extracorporal circuit during the experiment. The remark able advantages of this perfusion model are: (1) the animal can be kept in a normal physiological condition; (2) the arterial gases and pH in the CNS and CB can be controlled separately. The NaCN test was done in three steps to evaluate the model by judging the sensitivity of the peripheral chemoreceptors including the aortic and perfused carotid bodies. Applications of this model were also discussed.