Lung compliance and cholesterol during stellate ganglion stimulation.

The relationships between lung compliance, surface tension, and cholesterol during stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system were studied in 28 cats. Cats were anesthetized with ketamine hydrocholoride, injected with one of five sympathetic blocking agents or inhibitors and injected with isoprotenol. The left stellate ganglion was then stimulated electrically for 5 min. We found that stimulation decreased lung compliance and increased the surface tension and the cholesterol concentration in the lung wash fluid. Alpha blockers (phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine) and catecholamine inhibitors (reserpine and guanethidine) prevented these changes, but the beta blocker practolol did not. In additional experiments airway resistance, functional residual capacity and lung weights did not change during stellate stimulation. The results from the present study suggest that stellate ganglion stimulation resulted in decreased lung compliance with an increased surface tension and cholesterol in lung wash fluid.