Abstract
There have been few photographic studies done on lymphatics of human skin with previous images obtained by indirect dye injection into the dermis. We have developed a direct injection technique for investigating the lymphatic system in human adult cadavers and used this to investigate superficial lymphatics of the legs in a fresh human cadaver. We found an unusual observation in a skin graft scarred leg when the radio-opaque mixture injected into a lymph collecting vessel in the dorsal foot filled the skin lymphatics in the mid-lateral pretibial region. Further radiological investigation revealed that the dermal back flow was associated with a blockage of the lymph collecting vessel within the skin graft scar. We also found tracer transport through a circuitous pathway from the blocked collecting vessel to an adjacent intact collecting vessel. The transilluminated image of the skin demonstrated a three dimensional polygon of lymph capillaries and precollecting lymphatics in the dermis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 122-126 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Lymphology |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - Sep 2007 |
Keywords
- Dermal backflow
- Direct injection technique
- Human cadaver
- Lymphatic collecting vessel
- Pre-collecting vessel
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Hematology