Evaluation of vagal nerve blockade with epineural lignocaine application

Abstract

The effect of vagal nerve blockade by epineural application of lignocaine was studied in the rat. Vagal nerve conduction was assessed by subdiaphragmatic esophageal electromyogram (EMG) response evoked by stimulation of the cervical vagus nerve. It was found that epineural application of lignocaine completely blocked the evoked EMG response within one minute. After washing away the anesthetic, recovery of nerve conduction was gradual, taking approximately 60 min. Our results have implications for the use of local anesthetic blockade to interrupt of vagal transmission in experimental designs.