Interstitial fluid formation
Source region and uptake · Starling forces 2-4 L/day
Net capillary filtration governed by the Starling forces leaves more fluid in the interstitium each day than the venules take back. Lymphatics are the only route home, and the only route by which escaped plasma protein is recovered.
Detail
- Filtered per day
- About 20 L
- Reabsorbed by venules
- About 17 L
- Returned as lymph
- 2-4 L/day
- Starling equation
- Jv = Kf[(Pc - Pi) - sigma(pi c - pi i)]
- Protein handling
- Interstitial protein can leave only by lymph
When it goes wrong
Raised capillary hydrostatic pressure in right heart failure
Pitting peripheral oedema once lymph flow can rise no further
Hypoalbuminaemia in nephrotic syndrome or liver failure
Low plasma oncotic pressure with generalised oedema and ascites
Increased permeability in sepsis or burns
Protein-rich interstitial fluid and intravascular volume depletion
Practise this structure
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