The effect of carotid artery cannulation and femoral artery cannulation with the cardiac vagal denervation on the ischemia and reperfusion induced arrhythmia

This study, it was aimed to compare the effects of the carotid artery and femoral artery cannulation for blood pressure measurement and right vagal denervation on ischemia-reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in an experimental myocardial infarction model. In the study, 58 male Sprague Dawley rats 6-7 months old were used. A total of 4 groups were produced: two main groups and 2 subgroups. To measure blood pressure in the first group, intravascular cannulation was made from the right carotid artery, and in the second group, from the right femoral artery. The Myocardial Ischemia model was created by ligating the left coronary artery with silk thread, and reperfusion was created by loosening this silk. Vagal denervation was performed in two subgroups, by cutting the N. vagus along the carotid artery. In sham of this procedure, the nerve is not cut, only separated from the carotid artery. During ischemia and reperfusion, blood pressure, heart rate, arrhythmia types, and durations were determined. Comparisons between groups were made using a one-way analysis of variance, one-tailed t-test, and Chi-square test. The blood pressure and the heart rate were lower in the femoral artery group than in the carotid artery group during ischemia and reperfusion. And the arrhythmia score was higher in the femoral artery group than in the carotid artery group. While vagal denervation increased arrhythmias in the carotid artery group, it was not effective in the femoral artery group. In conclusion, femoral artery cannulation performed in experimental myocardial ischemia and reperfusion model in rats increases arrhythmias compared to carotid artery cannulation. Less stimulation of baroreceptors during femoral artery cannulation may play a role in this increase in arrhythmias.