This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Changes in the brainstem evoked responses following jugular vein ligation.
Yung MW, Soliman AM.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Liverpool.

Abstract
Blockage of both jugular veins is often followed by signs of intracranial hypertension. The use of brainstem evoked responses (BSER) in the detection of brainstem compression following jugular vein ligation in guinea pigs was studied. Thirty pigmented guinea pigs were studied. Unilateral jugular vein ligation was performed in 10 animals and bilaterally in 10. Ten animals were controls. The BSER to clicks at 20 db above hearing thresholds before and 6 hours following ligation of one or both jugular veins were recorded. No change in the hearing threshold was observed following jugular vein(s) ligation. However, prolongation of the I-III and III-IV interpeak intervals were observed following both unilateral and bilateral jugular vein ligation. The results suggest that BSER monitoring may be useful in the early detection of brainstem compression following jugular vein ligation in head and neck surgery.

.....But relief of brain stem compression is a possible immediate outcome of the procedure. If cerebrospinal fluid flow is compromised due to outflow obstruction, there may be pressure on the brain stem, and relief of that pressure might be why we get some of the immediate improvements including the autonomic nervous system improvements. It was an alternative theory offered by Dr. Sclafani in a different thread.
I could never even theorize as to why my hearing improved mid-procedure until now. The BSER test suggested above is a hearing test since the brainstem is involved with hearing.

The vagus nerve is the conduit for autonomic signals and it travels alongside the jugular vein. Renal denervation therapy has shown us that autonomic fibers can be manipulated via a transvascular approach. If the balloon mechanically stimulated the vagus nerve and it was what lead to the response to treatment it would solve the mystery of how a patient with a normal jugular vein could respond to jugular ballooning.

What Dr. Arata is talking about with the vagus nerve is not a matter of relieving compression. He is saying
http://blog.synergyhealthconcepts.com/d ... -magazine/
I interpret this as saying the ballooning squeezes the vagus nerve and that mechanical stimulation is supposed to be enough to cause the improvements seen after CCSVI treatment. Changes in blood flow are not what's causing the improvements, according to this. The compression of the vagus nerve occurs temporarily during the procedure; it was not compressed prior nor afterwards.
The brainstem compression theory is saying that changes in blood flow are important, so much so that it also leads to changes in cerebrospinal fluid flow since CSF drains into the sinuses which drain into the jugulars, and those changes in cerebrospinal fluid flow potentially in some patients relieve brainstem compression. The brainstem was compressed prior to the procedure, and afterwards is not.

He offers up the observation that patients with normal veins had autonomic improvements when he ballooned regular veins as possible support for the vagus nerve compression theory.

Dr. Arata posts a lot about dysautonomia on Facebook. And you are reading Dr. Sclafani's thread in its entirety? How do you even find time for googling?

Cece, do you know why Dr. Arata would balloon normal veins?

I don't do facebook. Could we have a "Cece cuts and pastes Dr. Arata's facebook page" thread? lol

Dilated veins don't impact nerve function but a 30 atm jugular balloon could impact the vagus.