Spontaneous contractility in the human lymph vessels

Abstract

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.