Selective vagal rhizotomies: a new dorsal surgical approach used for intestinal deafferentations

A surgical method for severing the afferent and efferent vagal rootlets in the rat brain was devised. A dorsal approach to the vagal rhizotomy requires cutting a hole through th occipital bone to expose the vagal rootlets. The method allows observations of the influence of vagal innervation on the gastrointestinal system. It also allows observations of food intake, nutrient absorption and digestion since rats show a complete recovery of normal feeding activities after the surgery.