Coarctation of the aorta and baroreceptor resetting. A study of carotid baroreceptor stimulus-response characteristics before and after surgical repair in the dog.

We studied baroreceptor function in dogs before and after surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta by direct recording of multifiber carotid sinus (CS) nerve activity (NA) during alteration of pulsatile arterial pressure with systemic phenylephrine and nitroprusside, and during static pressure changes using a CS pouch preparation. Coarctation was induced by banding the proximal thoracic aorta in ten 3- to 5-day old puppies. One and one-half years later, five of these coarctated animals were studied before, and five were studied 3-7 months after, surgical repair. Five adult animals also were studied 4-6 months after the proximal thoracic aorta had been banded. Controls were eight normal adult dogs. Threshold pressure at which NA began, saturation pressure at which NA reached a maximum, and slope (% Max NA/mm Hg) of the linear portion of the stimulus-response curve were determined. Pulsatile manipulations of pressure elicited normal sensitivity (slope) in dogs with coarctation but static nonpulsatile pressure changes showed depressed sensitivity compared to controls. After surgical repair, threshold and saturation returned toward normal; sensitivity determined with static pressure manipulations returned to control value. Coarctation reset CS baroreceptors to operate at higher pressures in both puppies and adult dogs and repair of coarctation returned function toward normal. We conclude that resolution of hypertension after repair of coarctation may depend upon baroreceptor readaptation.