THE RATE OF FORMATION AND LYMPHATIC REMOVAL OF FLUID IN PLEURAL EFFUSIONS

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Abstract
The rates of fluid outflow (lymphatic flow) and fluid entry (non-lymphatic flow) were studied in eleven patients (7 men, 4 women) with pleural effusions of varying etiology. The method was based on the use of T1824 which traced the movement of protein containing fluid present in the effusion. The fluid outflow averaged 0.364 [plus or minus] 0.156(SD) ml per kg per hour and the fluid entry averaged 0.395 [plus or minus] 0.236(SD) ml per kg per hour. There was no correlation between the volume of pleural fluid and the rates of fluid outflow and entry. There was a significant fall in both fluid outflow and entry in the overnight study as compared to the daytime. Paraaminohippurate, which was used to gauge the movement of molecules significantly smaller than protein was removed some 13 times faster and must be mainly absorbed by the blood capillaries as well as the pleural lymphatics.