Experimental lymphography in cardiac arrest, electrical ventricular fibrillation and deep hypothermia.

TLDR: The normal lymphographic and lymphatic flow patterns have been studied in canine hearts under normal conditions and the need for careful evaluation of myocardial alterations during and after these natural or technically induced conditions is most urgent.

Abstract: The normal lymphographic and lymphatic flow patterns have been studied in canine hearts under normal conditions. Experimental myocardial infarction as well as trials in human subjects have proved the procedure to be innocuous (CELIS et colI. 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969). It is sometimes necessary in modern cardiac surgery to decrease or interrupt cardiac flow by modifying or temporarily abolishing cardiac contraction; this can be obtained by complete cardiac arrest, electrical ventricular fibrillation or bradycardia with hypothermia. Spontaneous cardiac arrest is clinically a fairly frequent occurrence, and occasionally effective cardiac contraction is resumed. With the advent of cardiac transplantation of hearts with spontaneous arrest, which due to technical problems are subject to variable episodes of total ischemia, the need for careful evaluation of myocardial alterations during and after these natural or technically induced conditions is most urgent (BOLOOKI et colI. 1968, CONN et colI. 1959, HUFNAGEL et coll. 1961, LAWRENCE et coIl. 1965, POULIAS et colI. 1965, STONEyet colI. 1964, WALDHAUSEN et colI. 1960, WILLIAMS et colI. 1959) . As regards the lymphatic system, only increased thoracic duct flow has been demonstrated during extracorporeal circulation (BAUE et coIl. 1965). The state