Right duct lymph during and after open-heart surgery.

The right lymphatic duct (RLD) was cannulated in 26 patients operated upon with open-heart surgery. The thoracic duct was cannulated in 4 additional patients and both the thoracic and the right lymphatic ducts were cannulated in 2 further patients. The RLD was also cannulated in a control group consisting of 5 thoractomy-operated patients. Lymph was collected continuously and its flow and content of albumin, electrolytes and the enzymes, GOT, GPT, CPK and LDH were analysed. A significant amount of cardiac lymph was present in about 60% of the cannulations. After cardiopulmonary bypass, lymph enzyme concentrations often rose rapidly to very high levels. The significance of the enzyme concentration-patterns and some characteristics of the flow pattern are discussed.