THE FLOW AND COMPOSITION OF PULMONARY AND SYSTEMIC LYMPH IN BOGS WITH EDEMA

MH Gee, KA Donovan

Abstract


In animals with edema, pulmonary and systemic
lymphatics may function to remove accumulated
extravascular fluid in addition to responding to
events as they occur in the exchanging vessels. We
tested this hypothesis by measuring the flow rate
and composition of thoracic duct and right duct
lymph in anesthetized dogs made edematous by
rapid fluid infusion. During a fluid challenge equiva-
lent to 30% of body weight, thoracic and right duct
lymph flow rates increased 30- and 60-fold, respectively.
After the infusion, lymph flow rates rapidly
decreased even though the dogs were edematous.
During the postinfusion period, the decrease in right
duct lymph flow rate was directly related to a decrease
in estimated net pulmonary fluid filtration
pressure. We conclude that lymph flow rate and
composition reflect events occurring in the microvasculature
whether or not edema is present.


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