Relative Value of Splanchnic and Spinal Analgesia in Treatment of Experimentally Produced lleus

In a previous communication 1 we reported the results of splanchnic analgesia in the treatment of experimental ileus, and concluded that this form of treatment is undoubtedly of great value in reestablishing motility in the intestinal wall. The present communication concerns the relative value of splanchnic analgesia and spinal analgesia. Our results are based upon a series of 70 dogs. In 50 animals novocain splanchnic analgesia was produced, and records of the blood pressure, intestinal motility, and respirations were obtained on the kymographic drum. In most of the cases a single tracing of intestinal motility was obtained, and this from the terminal ileum. In some cases, however, additional tracings were obtained from the duodenum and also from the colon. In 9 animals instead of using novocain an aqueous solution of nicotine was used, as advocated by Rosenstein and KÜhler. 2 Nicotine is apparently an unsatisfactory substance when used in this way, since it increases the blood pressure unduly, and fails to increase the intestinal motility to a satisfactory degree. The range of blood pressure rise in all but 3 animals was greater than 90 mm. of mercury, and, while in 5 cases the tone in the ileum was raised from 10 to 50 mm., as recorded by the writing point on the kymographic drum, the other 4 animals showed insignificant effect on both tone and motility, and in the case of the duodenum and the colon the tone of the intestine was actually decreased.

The results of the present investigation, with respect to novocain, show that both the tone and amplitude of intestinal movement are markedly increased in the ileum, the average figure for the tone being an increase of 29.5 mm. and in the amplitude a value of 11.2 mm. The induction of novocain splanchnic analgesia, however, reduces the blood pressure, but not unduly, the average figure being 20 mm. of mercury.