Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1996 Jul 15;494(Pt 2):595–600. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1996.sp021517

Effect of postural changes on human lymphatic capillary pressure of the skin.

U K Franzeck 1, M Fischer 1, U Costanzo 1, I Herrig 1, A Bollinger 1
PMCID: PMC1160659  PMID: 8842016

Abstract

1. The influence of postural changes on cutaneous lymphatic capillary pressure and venous pressure was measured at the dorsum of the foot in twelve healthy volunteers. Measurements were performed in the supine and sitting positions. 2. Lymphatic skin capillaries were visualized by fluorescence microlymphography with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Dextran 150000. Subsequently a lymphatic capillary was punctured with a glass micropipette and pressure was measured using the servo-nulling technique. Lymphatic capillary pressure, venous pressure, heart and respiration rates were recorded simultaneously. 3. Mean lymphatic capillary pressure was significantly higher (P = 0.0096) in the sitting (9.9 +/- 3.0 mmHg) than in the supine (3.9 +/- 4.2 mmHg) position. There was no significant difference (P = 0.09) between lymphatic capillary pressure and venous pressure (6.8 +/- 3.4 mmHg) in the supine position. During sitting mean lymphatic capillary pressure was significantly lower (P = 0.0022) than mean venous pressure (53.3 +/- 4.1 mmHg). The smaller increase in lymphatic capillary pressure may be caused by the discontinuous fluid column in the lymphatic system and enhanced orthostatic contractile activity of lymphatic collectors and precollectors. Spontaneous low frequency pressure fluctuations occurred in 89% of recordings during sitting, which was significantly (P = 0.02) higher than in the supine position (54%). 4. The present results support the suggestion of enhanced intrinsic contractile activity of lymph precollectors and collectors in the dependent position. This mechanism is primarily responsible for the propulsion of lymph from the periphery to the thoracic duct during quiet sitting, when extrinsic pumping by the calf muscles is not active.

Full text

PDF
595

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bollinger A., Jäger K., Sgier F., Seglias J. Fluorescence microlymphography. Circulation. 1981 Dec;64(6):1195–1200. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.64.6.1195. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fischer M., Franzeck U. K., Herrig I., Costanzo U., Wen S., Schiesser M., Hoffmann U., Bollinger A. Flow velocity of single lymphatic capillaries in human skin. Am J Physiol. 1996 Jan;270(1 Pt 2):H358–H363. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1996.270.1.H358. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Hall J. G., Morris B., Woolley G. Intrinsic rhythmic propulsion of lymph in the unanaesthetized sheep. J Physiol. 1965 Sep;180(2):336–349. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007706. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Levick J. R., Michel C. C. The effects of position and skin temperature on the capillary pressures in the fingers and toes. J Physiol. 1978 Jan;274:97–109. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1978.sp012136. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. McHale N. G., Roddie I. C. The effect of transmural pressure on pumping activity in isolated bovine lymphatic vessels. J Physiol. 1976 Oct;261(2):255–269. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1976.sp011557. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Pfister G., Saesseli B., Hoffmann U., Geiger M., Bollinger A. Diameters of lymphatic capillaries in patients with different forms of primary lymphedema. Lymphology. 1990 Sep;23(3):140–144. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Rayman G., Williams S. A., Gamble J., Tooke J. E. A study of factors governing fluid filtration in the diabetic foot. Eur J Clin Invest. 1994 Dec;24(12):830–836. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1994.tb02027.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Spiegel M., Vesti B., Shore A., Franzeck U. K., Becker F., Bollinger A. Pressure of lymphatic capillaries in human skin. Am J Physiol. 1992 Apr;262(4 Pt 2):H1208–H1210. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1992.262.4.H1208. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Wen S., Dörffler-Melly J., Herrig I., Schiesser M., Franzeck U. K., Bollinger A. Fluctuation of skin lymphatic capillary pressure in controls and in patients with primary lymphedema. Int J Microcirc Clin Exp. 1994 May-Jun;14(3):139–143. doi: 10.1159/000178821. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Zaugg-Vesti B., Dörffler-Melly J., Spiegel M., Wen S., Franzeck U. K., Bollinger A. Lymphatic capillary pressure in patients with primary lymphedema. Microvasc Res. 1993 Sep;46(2):128–134. doi: 10.1006/mvre.1993.1041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Zawieja D. C., Davis K. L., Schuster R., Hinds W. M., Granger H. J. Distribution, propagation, and coordination of contractile activity in lymphatics. Am J Physiol. 1993 Apr;264(4 Pt 2):H1283–H1291. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1993.264.4.H1283. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES