Читать книгу Understanding Anatomy and Physiology in Nursing - John Knight - Страница 111

Resting within the interstitial spaces of most tissues are blind-ended lymphatic vessels which absorb excess interstitial fluid. This fluid is discharged into larger lymphatic vessels where it mixes with products of fat digestion to form a milky fluid termed lymph. Lymph travels through the lymphatic vessels before eventually being discharged back into the blood (at the right and left subclavian vein) to maintain the total blood volume (explored further in Chapter 9). The lymphatic system can be regarded as a second circulatory system that runs parallel to the cardiovascular system. It is often referred to as the body’s drainage system since it plays a key role in preventing over-accumulation of interstitial fluid which would otherwise lead to oedema.