Effect of stellatectomy on acid secretion and gastric release.

The stellate ganglia give rise to adrenergic fibers in the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve which innervate the gut. Since stellatectomy causes a degeneration of these vagal adrenergic fibers, the purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of stellatectomy on gastric acid secretion (GAS). GAS was measured in 6 dogs with gastric fistula before and after stellatectomy was performed; also the gastrin response to a meat meal was studied before and after stellatectomy . Acid secretion increased significantly at submaximal doses of pentagastrin after stellatectomy , while basal and meal stimulated gastrin levels did not change. Horner's syndrome developed in each dog. These results suggest that the vagal adrenergic innervation of the stomach is an inhibitor of GAS in the dog.