Lymphatics Flashcards
(26 cards)
How is lymph formed?
Interstitial fluid leaves and goes into lymph vessels, now called lymph
Where does fluid go when there is an increase in hydrostatic pressure?
Lymph vessels
What are primary lymphoid organs?
Generate lymphocytes
eg Thymus and bone marrow
What are secondary lymphoid organs?
Maintain lymphocytes
eg Tonsils, adenoids, sleen and MALT
What is Lymphoedema?
The lymphatic system doesn’t work proerly (may be due to blockage from tumours or lymphoma) causing oedema due to lymph
What is the right drainage area?
The right arm
Right chest
Right head & neck
What is the left drainage area?
Everything else not drained by the right drainage area
Where are the main lymph aggregations?
Cervical
Pelvic
Groin
Axilla
What is the thoracic duct?
The largest lymph drainage
Behind the abdominal aorta
Where does all lymph eventually end up?
In the venous system
How is lymph involved in fat absorption?
Fat is absorbed into the intestinal lymph system
Now called chyle
Travels into the venous system
Where does the right lymphatic duct drain into?
Short and drains into the right subclavian vein
What are lymph nodes densely packed with?
WBCs
What are the main parts of a lymph node?
Cortex
Paracortex
Germinal centre
What occupies the Cortex of a lymph node?
B cells
What occupies the Paracortex of a lymph node?
T cells
What occupies the Germinal centre of a lymph node?
Maturation of B cells, this is why it swells in disease states
How can lymph nodes become cancerous?
The metastatic cells travel in the lymphatic system and get trapped in the node.
They then proliferate
The node becomes cancerous
What is lymphoma?
Cancer of lymphocytes/immune cells.
They tend to aggregate in the lymph nodes, making them swell
What are some of the signs a lymph node may be cancerous?
Immobile
Swollen
Hard
What does the Deep cervical nodes drain into?
Internal jugular vein
Spinal accessory vein
Transverse cervical vein (Supraclavicular)
*These then all drain into the thoracic duct (On the left) or the right lymphatic duct
What can be enlarged in tonsilitis?
The jugular digrastic lymph node (Just below the mandible)
What can be enlarged in oral cancer?
Jugulo-omohyoid lymph node (Lies above the omohyoid)
What can cause the supraclavicular nodes to be enlarged?
Gastric cancer
Lung cancer
