The lymphatic system functions as an important part of the vascular (blood vessel) system. It supports immune health, and one of the most important functions is its ability to remove extra fluid from soft tissues and transport nutrients from your liver and intestines to your body’s blood circulation.
Generally, the lymphatic system in your body consists of several “subsystems” such as soft tissue, intestinal, liver, kidney and more. The intestinal lymphatic system helps absorb fats from the intestines and deliver them as smaller particles into your body's circulation. The intestinal lymphatic fluid (or lymph) is also called chyle.
Most of the lymphatic fluid eventually drains into main vessel of the lymphatic system, called the thoracic duct. The thoracic duct, in turn delivers lymph into the blood, most often at a location where veins meet in the left upper chest area.
The daily amount of fluid output from the thoracic ducts changes significantly under different states. For example, the flow in the intestinal lymphatic system increases significantly after the meals, especially those with higher fat content, and the flow in the liver lymphatic system increases significantly in patients with liver cirrhosis and heart failure due to liver congestion.
Certain disorders and medical complications can cause the lymphatic system to leak these fluids in the body, causing symptoms that may appear as other conditions. Expert Penn Interventional Radiologists collaborate with referring physicians and specialists to diagnose and treat lymphatic system leaks that in the past might have gone undiscovered.