1. Concerning the surgical eradication of the cord that conveys impulses between the brain and other parts of the body: After the vagolytic operation, the patient is given fluids intravenously (by infusion into a vein) until the gastrointestinal tract can accept swallowed fluids.
2. An agent, surgical or chemical, that prevents the function of the nerve from the head to another part of the body: The vagolytic nerve refers to either of the tenth and longest of the cranial nerves, passing through the neck and thorax into the abdomen and supplying sensations to part of the ear, the tongue, the larynx, and the pharynx; as well as, motor impulses to the vocal cords, and motor and secretion impulses to the abdominal and chest organs.