Abstract:
Background and Purpose. Carotid Bodies (CB) are fed mainly by
External Carotid Artery (ECA) and rarely by Internal Carotid Artery
(ICA). We aimed to investigate the e¤ect of Bilateral Common
Carotid Artery ligation and BCCAL plus bilateral external carotid
artery ligation on CB.
Methods. This study has been conducted on 30 hybrid male rabbits.
Normal CB analyses were made in six of these animals and
others divided into two groups. BCCAL has been applied to the 1st
group, and the 2nd group has undergone bilateral ECA ligation in
addition to BCCAL. After sacrificing the animals, both sides CB
were histopathologically observed. Normal and ischemic cells were
counted.
Findings. Bilateral Common Carotid Artery ligation did not cause
total atrophy in CB. Partial reversible atrophy of CB was seen in
group I, but that atrophy was found to be irreversible and all animals
died within one week after ligation in group II.
Interpretation. Retrograde blood flow mechanisms and collateral
circulation impede the oligemic CB atrophy after BCCAL. But
bilateral ECA ligation, in addition to BCCAL, causes both sides
irreversible CB atrophy and death of animals within one week of
ligation.
Abstract. The CB are parasympathetic paraganglia. They are
chemoreceptors and located at the bifurcation zone of common carotid
arteries. They are fed mainly by ECA or by its branches and
rarely by ICA. As a consequence of this, BCCAL and/or ligation of
external branches of common carotid artery may lead to an ischemic
impairment of CB. In order to analyse the e¤ect of carotid stenosis
on CB, CB were directly examined in 6 of 30 hybrid rabbits. BCCAL
was applied to twelve rabbits (group I ) with ligation of both ECA in
addition to BCCAL were made to the others (group II ). Animals
were followed up four months in group I; but all of the animals in
group II died within one week. From both sides the CB were taken
including the carotid bifurcation and histopathological changes were
evaluated. As a result, it has been observed that incomplete ischemic
lesions have developed in the CB because of retrograde blood flow
from posterior circulation to the ECA providing blood for the CB.
But in the second group these changes were irreversible and on both
sides CB complete atrophy developed in those whose ECA were also
ligated bilaterally.
