THORACIC DUCT LYMPH FLOW AND ITS DRIVING PRESSURE IN ANESTHETIZED SHEEP

Abstract

We examined the relationship between thoracic duct lymph flow (TDF) and its drivingpressure (DP) in six anesthetized sheep. DP was determined as the thoracic duct pressure (TDP)minus the innominate vein pressure (VP). TDF was measured using an ultrasound transit-timeflow meter, placing a flow probe beside the caudal mediastinal lymph node. TDP was measuredwith a fine needle inserted near the flow probe. TDP increased linearly together with an increasein VP after balloon inflation in the cranial vena cava with a TDP/VP ratio of 0.79. DP decreased,therefore, with an increase in VP and this decrease in DP correlated directly with a fall in TDF.After rapid i.v. fluid infusion, TDF increased but DP varied among the six sheep. Nonetheless,after balloon inflation with expanded volume (i.e., i.v. fluid infusion), DP and TDF werepositively correlated. We conclude that DP is the main factor determining TDF when VP rises inconjunction with increased lymph production.