LYMPHATIC CLEARANCE OF THE HUMAN SKIN IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS USING A NOVEL FLUORESCENT TECHNIQUE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was toinvestigate lymphatic clearance of the humanskin in patients with acute deep thrombosisof the femoral vein. In 13 patients with deepvein thrombosis and no other cause forswelling of the limbs, lymphatic clearance ofthe skin at the foot was measured. Tenmicroliters of fluorescein isothiocyanatedextran150,000 were injected intradermallyand the fluorescent light intensity of thedeposit measured 10 min and 24 hours afterinjection by window densitometry. In addition,intralymphatic pressure was measured bythe servo-nulling system. The results werecompared with a sex- and age-matched controlgroup. Fluorescent light intensity decreasedby 23.8±12.3 arbitrary units or by a factor of1.8±0.5 in patients with DVT after 24 hours,which was significantly less than in healthycontrols (33.7±8.9 arbitrary units or by factor5.0±4.1, p<0.013). Intralymphatic pressurewas not different between the two groups.These results indicate that lymphatic clearanceis significantly reduced in the acute phase ofdeep venous thrombosis.