Isolation of human skin-derived lymph: flow and output of cells following sodium lauryl sulphate-induced contact dermatitis.

By means of microsurgery a peripheral subcutaneous lymph vessel draining a defined skin area was isolated and cannulated on the lower leg of six healthy volunteers. Lymph was collected over a period of 8 days. During the first 2 days baseline values for lymph flow and output of cells were established. A contact dermatitis was then induced in the drained skin area by the application of 10% sodium lauryl sulphate. All six probands developed a mild to moderate irritant contact dermatitis. Lymph flow as well as output of cells increased with the intensity of the skin reaction. Subsequent local treatment with clobetasol propionate decreased the cell output, but the lymph flow increased further. Neither lymph flow nor output of cells returned to the initial baseline values at the end of the study, when the clinical signs of contact dermatitis had completely disappeared. During the experiment significant individual variations were found, with means ranging from 0.10 to 0.48 ml/h for lymph flow and from 8700 to 174000/h for cells, which probably depended mainly on the different topographies and calibres of the cannulated lymph vessels.