The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 2004/08, 104(8):339. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2004.104.8.337, type of study: ,ani,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7556/jaoa.2004.104.8.337/html)

Keywords:

animal experiment [68]
LPT [27]
lymph flow [4]
lymphatic pump treatment [5]

Abstract:

The lymphatic pump is an Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment that is frequently used to treat patients with infections. While the concept that increasing lymph flow is beneficial has been widely accepted by the osteopathic profession, no real-time measurements of lymph flow during application of these manipulative treatments have been reported. Five mongrel dogs were surgically instrumented to measure lymph flow in the thoracic duct (TDF), heart rate, aortic blood pressure, and cardiac output. To measure TDF, a Transonics flow transducer was placed on the thoracic lymph duct just above the level of the heart. After recovery from surgery, the dogs were placed in a standing-support sling, and TDF, heart rate, aortic pressure, and cardiac output were recorded during two 30-s manipulative treatments to increase lymph flow, thoracic pump and abdominal pump. TDF was also measured during treadmill exercise at 3 mph, 0% incline. TDF significantly increased from 1.57 +-0.20 to a peak flow of 4.80 +-1.73 ml-min-1 dring the abdominal pump, and from 1.20 +-0.41 to 3.45 +-1.61 ml-min-1 during the thoracic pump. During exercise, TDF significantly increased from 1.47 +-0.33 to 5.81 +-1.30 ml-min-1. Cardiac output, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure did not change significantly during the manipulative treatments; cardiac output and heart rate significantly increased during exercise. In conclusion, the thoracic and abdominal pumps and exercise produced significant increases in thoracic duct flow.