Effect of carotid body denervation on arousal response to hypoxia in sleeping dogs.

Abstract

We studied the arousal and ventilatory responses to hypoxia during sleep in three trained dogs, before and 1-4 wk after carotid body denervation (CBD). During the studies the dogs breathed through a cuffed endotracheal tube inserted via a chronic tracheostomy. Eucapnic progressive hypoxia was induced by a rebreathing technique, and arterial O2 saturation (Sao2) was measured with an ear oximeter. Sleep stage was determined by electroencephalographic and behavioral criteria. Following CBD, all dogs exhibited hypoventilation under resting conditions; hypoxic ventilatory responses during wakefulness, slow-wave sleep (SWS), and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep were less than 10% of control. Prior t..