Sympathetic activation plays an important pathophysiological role in the progression of pulmonary artery hypertension. Although adrenergic vasomotor fibers are present in the adventitia of pulmonary arteries, the anatomy of the peri-arterial pulmonary nerves is still poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to determine the sympathetic nerve distribution in canine pulmonary arteries. A total of 2160 sympathetic nerves were identified in six Chinese Kunming canines. Nerve counts were greatest in the proximal segment, with a slight decrease in the distal segment; the middle segment showed the least number of nerves. In the left and right pulmonary arteries, 77.61% and 78.97% of the nerves were located within a 1-3-mm range, respectively. The number of nerves in the posterior region of the bifurcation and pulmonary trunk outnumbered those in the anterior region. Furthermore, 65.33% of the nerves were located in the first 2-mm range of the posterior region of bifurcation, and 89.62% of the nerves were located within the 1-3-mm range of the posterior region of the pulmonary trunk. In conclusion, a great abundance of sympathetic nerves occurred in the proximal and distal segments of the bilateral pulmonary arteries. There is a clear predominance of sympathetic nerve distribution in the posterior region of the bifurcation and pulmonary trunk. This anatomic distribution may have implications for the future development of percutaneous pulmonary artery denervation.
Keywords: Bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk; percutaneous pulmonary artery denervation; pulmonary artery; pulmonary trunk; sympathetic.