RELATIVE RATES OF ABSORPTION OF FLUID AND PROTEIN FROM THE PERITONEAL CAVITY IN CATS

Abstract

The relative rates of fluid and protein absorption

from the peritoneal cavity of anesthetized cats were

measured over 6 hours at an intraperitoneal pressure

of 15 mm Hg and with intraperitoneal protein

concentrations from 1- 8 g%. The fractional absorption

rates of fluid and protein did not change

significantly over the 6 hours and were not significantly

different from each other within each one

hour period. In addition both fractional absorption

rates were unaffected by the protein concentration

of the fluid within the peritoneal cavity. Although

the absolute rate of absorption is greatly increased

by elevation of the intraperitoneal pressure, these

data indicate that the process remains iso-oncotic

as would be expected for lymphatic rather than

transcapillnry absorption.