SPONTANEOUS CONTRACTILITY IN THE HUMAN LYMPH VESSELS

S Armenio, F Cetta, G Tanzini, C Guercia

Abstract


During the diagnostic lymphangiography of the lower limbs, the motility of the lymph vessels was investigated in 79 consecutive patients, by means of a particularly performed serial radiography, aided by photographic magnification of films. 

Because of tech nical difficulties, a rather high incidence
of imperfect examinations occurred.

In 26 out of 35 (74.3%) technically satisfactory observations obtained from patients with no obstacle to lymph flow, evident morphological modifications
were demonstrated, surely caused by intrinsic spontaneous contractility. Only in few cases a conctractile activity, somehow resembling a true peristaltic wave
could be demonstrated; usually the lymphatic "pulse" appeared irregular and greatly varying and no specific rhythm was detected.

Our findings suggest that: intrinsic contractility may be an important determinant of lymph flow; the pattern of contractility is strongly influenced by the anatomical feature of the lymphatic chain, whose lymphangions
(intervalve segments), appear continuously varying in size and shape.


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