Lipid Studies on Human Lymph and Chyle

ALTHOUGH investigation of chyle and lymph has been extensive in animals, there are few reports on humans because of the difficulty in obtaining samples. Studies of individual patients with chylothorax, chylous ascites, and chyluria are valuable but subject to inaccuracy. Recently, a few series of human thoracic duct cannulations have been reported. The authors investigated lipid findings on specimens obtained by cannulation. Material and Methods Specimens were obtained by cannulation of the right main lymphatic duct and the left thoracic duct during bilateral scalene node biopsy. In general, satisfactory flow was achieved from the left duct in 60% of the subjects and from the right in 30%.1There were 32 patients with satisfactory left duct flow in this study and five of these also had flow from the right duct. Prior to operation most patients were given 6 oz (177.4 ml) of a cream mixture containing 11% fat, 99.9%