Functional activity of rabbit salivary glands in reduced and restored regional arterial blood supply conditions.

BACKGROUND Although the vascular pathology of carotid arteries is widespread, the function of salivary glands in reduced arterial flow conditions is not much investigated clinically and in experiments. At the same time blood supply is a keystone to normal functioning of every organ and especially of salivary secretion. The aim of this study was to estimate functional activity of salivary glands in reduced and restored blood supply conditions in experiment by sialoscintigraphy which is an approved method for functional assessment of salivary glands. METHODS The ligature of a. carotis communis dextra was performed on 20 Californian rabbits. After 28 days sialoscintigraphy with Tc99 pertechnetate and revascularization through resection of the occluded part of a. carotis communis and reconstruction with venous autograft was performed. One month later sialoscintigraphy was done. RESULTS The functional activity of rabbit salivary glands after the ligature of a. carotis communis is strongly depressed. The revascularized glands accumulated isotope slowly, but the level of accumulation was higher than on the control side. CONCLUSION The ligature and reconstruction of a common carotid artery on rabbits confirm the important role of the arterial blood supply in functional activity of salivary glands and may be an appropriate experimental model for investigation of ischemic disease of salivary glands.