Increased venous pressure causes increased thoracic duct pressure in awake sheep

Abstract

The lymph from most organs drains through the thoracic duct and into veins in the neck. We hypothesized that increases in neck vein pressure (Pnv) are reflected through the thoracic duct to the lung lymphatic-thoracic duct junction. To test this, we cannulated the lung lymphatics in the direction of flow in four sheep. We advanced each cannula until it entered the thoracic duct. Thus the pressure at the tip of the lymphatic cannula (Px) was the pressure at the outflow of the lung lymphatics. We also placed a balloon into the superior vena cava. One to two days later, we measured Px in the awake sheep as we inflated the balloon and increased Pnv in steps to 25-45 cmH2O. We found no significant differences in Px and Pnv. Furthermore, Px closely followed Pnv after each step increase in Pnv. These results support our hypothesis that increases in Pnv cause increases in the outflow pressure to lung lymphatics.