The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 69, 390-396, Copyright © 1975 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Effects of obstruction of cardiac lymphatics
EF Parker, RR Bradham, GR Hennigar and WB Greene
A study was undertaken in the dog to determine whether changes occurred in
the lymphatics of the endocardium and myocardium of both ventricles after
obstruction of the cardiac lymphatics. Other investigators have reported
ventricular subendocardial hemorrhage, increased elastic and fibrous tissue
in the left ventricle endocardium, and opacification of the mitral valve
leaflets. In 14 experiments the ventricular walls were injected with India
ink. The efferent cardiac lymphatics were followed to their termination in
the cardiac lymph node or nodes. These nodes were excised, as were afferent
and efferent lymphatic trunks. After 4 to 16 weeks, with the aid of
extracorporeal circulation and oxygenation, biopsies were taken of the
myocardium and endocardium of the ventricles of the beating heart. Six
animals were used as control subjects. Grossly, there were no changes in
the endocardium, myocardium, or valve leaflets. Light and electron
microscopy demonstrated no fibrosis or elastosis, and no lymphatics were
identifiable. We were unable to establish evidence of permanent changes as
a result of obstruction of the lymphatics of the dog heart.
