[Substantiation of the thoracic duct drainage in diseases of the liver and biliary tract].

Morphological study of the hepatic lymph vessels in 16 patients with diseases of the liver and biliary tract and the thoracic duct in individuals of different ages showed that the number and diameter of the lymphatic vessels and the diameter of the thoracic duct increase in the phase of inflammation, Proliferation of connective tissue in cirrhosis reduces the number of lymph vessels, induces valvular incompetence in the thoracic duct attended by ascites. Sixteen patients with diseases of the liver and biliary tract underwent operation for drainage of the thoracic duct. Biochemical parameters and the flow of lymph indicated that the diminished lymph issue is attended on the second day by decrease of the intoxication indices by one third, which is revealed by endotoxin--bile acids, bilirubin, the liver reduces in size and pruritus disappears. The results of the study substantiate the operation for drainage of the thoracic duct and show its importance as a method for the prevention of hepatic insufficiency and for detoxification.