Lymph fistulas in trained dogs

A lymph fistula, which will continue to flow after recovery of the animal from anesthesia, may be made by cannulating a lymphatic trunk with sterile, small diameter, flexible, plastic tubing, either polyvinyl or polyethylene tubing. Clotting of lymph does not occur readily in such tubing. Frequently lymph will flow for several days and permit study of flow and composition of lymph under many experimental conditions. A technique of surgical exposure and cannulation of the thoracic duct in the chest and of the hepatic, intestinal, and iliac lymphatic trunks in the abdomen has been described in detail.