Spontaneous contractility in the human lymph vessels.
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 technical 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 contractile 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.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008196:Lymph / Q000502:physiology; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000502:physiology*; D008220:Lymphography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction