THE LYMPHATICS OF THE SKIN FILLED BY A DERMAL BACKFLOW: AN OBSERVATION IN A SCARRED CADAVER LEG

Abstract

There have been few photographic studiesdone on lymphatics of human skin withprevious images obtained by indirect dyeinjection into the dermis. We have developeda direct injection technique for investigatingthe lymphatic system in human adult cadaversand used this to investigate superficiallymphatics of the legs in a fresh humancadaver. We found an unusual observation ina skin graft scarred leg when the radio-opaquemixture injected into a lymph collecting vesselin the dorsal foot filled the skin lymphatics inthe mid-lateral pretibial region. Furtherradiological investigation revealed that thedermal back flow was associated with ablockage of the lymph collecting vessel withinthe skin graft scar. We also found tracertransport through a circuitous pathway fromthe blocked collecting vessel to an adjacentintact collecting vessel. The transilluminatedimage of the skin demonstrated a threedimensional polygon of lymph capillaries andprecollecting lymphatics in the dermis.