Effect of bilateral cervical vagotomy in the dog.

Dogs subjected to bilateral cervical vagotomy were maintained by daily infusions of physiological saline and glucose for several weeks and a few animals survived for periods of more than 1 month. The success of this procedure is interpreted as evidence of water and electrolyte changes being major factors in the usual early demise of vagotimized animals. Cardiac outputs were decreased progressively after vagotomy resultant to increased arterial venous oxygen differences. Only slight additional alterations in the hemodynamic picture were noted as these animals survived the acute reactions to cervical vagotomy.