TABLE 1.

Overview of the branching and merging patterns between VN, ST, and CB in µCT data of pig nerves. Numbers are presented as absolute and relative values. The first pattern, “contact”, with epineurium between VN and ST is depicted in column 1). The second pattern “merging fascicles” is represented in columns 2A and 2B and presents the numbers of nerves, in which merging of fascicles between the VN and the ST (column 2A), and the VN and the CB (column 2B), respectively, occurred. Column 3 represents the third pattern “communicating branches between ST and VN”, which are cross-connections between these two nerves that were found in both preparations at the cervical level, the macroscopic dissections, and µCT data. Column 4 depicts the number of observations during dissections, where the VN and the ST nerves were showed either close contact or merging interactions (“merging or contact”) with each other in-situ.VN, Vagus Nerve; CB, cardiac branch; ST, Sympathetic trunk.

Nerves	Counts total n [%]	1) Total VN/ST contact in µCT [n nerves]	2A) Total VN/ST merging fascicles in µCT [n nerves]	2B) Total VN/CB merge fascicles in µCT [n nerves]	3) Communicating branches ST/VN total [n nerves]	4) VN/ST merging or contact total macroscopic [n nerves]
Left side	5 [45%]	3 [27%]	1 [9%]	3 [38%]	2 [18%]	3 [43%]
Right side	6 [55%]	4 [36%]	2 [18%]	5 [45%]	4 [36%]	4 [57%]
Total	11 [100%]	7 [64%]	3 [27%]	8 [73%]	6 [55%]	7 [64%]