[Is there an intestinal lymphatic trunk in man?].

As the analysis of the literature demonstrates, in spite of a rather wide use of the term "tr. intestinalis" and its inclusion into the PNA, it is still not clear what should be understood under this term concerning the human being. It has been stated, by means of coloured mass injections into the efferent lymphatic vessels of the hepatic, celiac and superior mesenteric lymph nodes, that there is no common efferent lymphatic trunk as a result of fusion of these vessels mentioned above. The efferent lymphatic vessels of the hepatic and celiac lymph nodes terminate in the lumbar lymph nodes; 92.1% of the efferent lymphatic vessels of the superior mesenteric lymph nodes also terminate in the lumbar lymph nodes and only 7.9% of these vessels terminate in the thoracic duct or in one of its roots. Thus, there is no classical lymphatic intestinal trunk (middle root of the thoracic duct) collecting lymph from all abdominal organs and discharging into the thoracic duct.