Drainage of lymph from the foreleg to the superficial cervical lymph node in sheep

Abstract

The superficial cervical (prescapular) node in sheep is large and readily accessible. It lies medial to the omotransverse muscle and 40 to 60 mm cranial to the ventral end of the scapular spine. Lymph vessels reaching this node from the foreleg all enter its ventral half. These lymphatics can be approached surgically opposite the elbow joint where they lie adjacent to the cephalic vein. Carbon particles infused into a single afferent lymphatic were restricted to a small segment of the ventrocranial quadrant of the node. When Evans' Blue dye, or a suspension of carbon particles, was injected subcutaneously just above the hoof they were carried to the node in two to five afferent lymphatics and were found mainly in the ventrocranial quadrant. A knowledge of the anatomy of the superficial cervical node and its afferent lymphatics may be of value in immunological studies, especially where it is desired to introduce antigen into a known part of a node and to leave the remainder for control observations.