Morphometric analysis of the lymph system in rat heart during myocardial infarction.

Simulation of myocardial infarction in random-bred rats showed that lymph vessels play the leading role in the drainage of the myocardium during the acute period of ischemic damage and compensate for the developing insufficiency of interstitial drainage at the expense of venous component of the coronary bed. A pronounced enlargement of the lymph collectors and I, II, and order III vessels in the left and right ventricles of the heart was detected.