Thoracic Cavity Flashcards
What is normal plural fluid volume in dogs and cats?
- Dog - 0.1ml/kg
- Cats: 0.3ml/kg
What cells make up normal plueral fluid?
- mesothelial cells 9-30%
- Monocytes/macrophages 61-77%
- Lymphocytes 7-11%
- Neutrophils under 2%
1500-2500 cells/mcL
Protein less than 2.5g/dL
What % of dogs have a dorsal thoracic lymph centre?
25%
Which parts of the body are NOT drained by the thoracic duct?
- Right thoracic limb
- Right shoulder
- Cervical regions
Drained by the right lymphatic duct
What is the cisterna chyli and where is it located?
- Bipartite, dilated, retroperitoneal lymph channel, ventral to L1-L4 along cranial abdominal aorta
- Most cmmonly sits ventral to L3, caudal to coeliac and cranial mesenteric arteries
What is the major difference in the thoracic duct anatomy in dogs and cats?
- Dogs - travel on right sife through caudal thorax, dorsolateral to aorta. Crosses to left at T5/6
- Cats: On the left!
Where does the thoracic duct drain?
Left external jugular vein or jugulosubclavian vein
(Significant anatomical variation - some branches may terminate in azygous)
What embryonic structure forms the thymus?
At what age does it stop growing and starts to involute?
- Arises from the 3rd pharyngeal pouch
- Grows until 4-5mo
What is the normal functional residual capacity (volume of air remaining in lung at end of expiration)
45ml/kg
What fluid dynamics favour pleural fluid production and absorption?
- Increased hydrostatic pressure of systemic and pulmonary capillaries compared to pleural fluid favours pleural fluid production
- Increased osmotic pressure of systemic and pulmonary vascular beds are greater than pleural fluid, favouring absorption
Tends to enter pleural space from parietal pleura and be absorbed by visceral pleura
What are the functions of the thymus?
Cell mediated immunity
- maturation and selection of T-cells
- Termination of defective or autoreactive thymocytes
Endocrine
- Secretion of thymosin, thymic humoral factor, thymopoietin, thymostimulin, thymulin
- Involved in T-cell enhancement and maturation
How do you classify pleural transudate, modified transudate and exudate?
List causes of a pleural transudate
- Hypoproteinaemia
- Increased hydrostatic pressure as with CHF (NT-proBNP significantly higher in cats with effusion from heart disease)
List DDx for a serosanguinous (modified transudate) effusion
- Lung lobe torsion
- D-hernia with liver entrapment
- Pericardial effusion
- Right sided heart failure
- Neoplasia (diffuse mesothelioma or carcinomatosis)
- Idiopathic pleuritis
List DDx for a sanguinous effusion
- Trauma
- Coagulopathy
- Acute lung lobe torsion
- Iatrogenic
- Tumours (chemodectoma, right atrial HSA)
List DDx for chylous effusion
- Any condition that increases hydrostatic pressure in the cranial vena cava
- Trauma
- Idiopathic