The effects of chronic cervical lymphostasis on regions drained by lymphatics and by prelymphatics

Abstract

Chronic cervical lymphostasis was induced in cats. The effects in regions directly drained by lymphatics (facial skin and retrobulbar tissue), and in regions primarily drained by prelymphatics (cerebral cortex, retina, papilla, iris, choroid and Circle of Willis) were studied ophthalmoscopically and electron microscopically. It was found that in all regions there was considerable oedema, increases in protein concentration and excess collagen, together with increased numbers of macrophages. The lymphatics, where these existed, had many open junctions: both these vessels and the prelymphatics were very dilated, with considerable increases in protein concentration.