Coagulation properties of canine thoracic-duct lymph

¹ Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Coagulation studies were made on thoracic-duct lymph obtained from semifasting healthy adult dogs. Prothrombin, fibrinogen, antihemophilic factor (AHF) and plasma thromboplastin component (PTC) were found to be present in lymph in concentration of about 30–60% of plasma levels. One-stage type clotting tests using either complete or partial thromboplastins give variable results. Some samples of lymph are as active in these tests as is plasma while some are considerably less active. The lymph samples are not fully active at the time of collection. On exposure to glass surfaces in the presence of anticoagulant, the clotting time becomes shorter during the first 20–40 minutes. Coagulating lymph has a high residual prothrombin even after 18–24 hours in glass containers. Thoracic-duct lymph contains sufficient thromboplastic materials so that adequate amounts of thrombin can form to produce a fibrin clot, but it does not contain the thromboplastic materials required for complete prothrombin utilization. The study of lymph coagulation appears to be an important aspect of the general process of coagulation since thrombocytes appear to play a minor role in its coagulation properties.