In vivo effects of hydrostatic pressure on interstitium of abdominal wall muscle

Fluid loss from the peritoneal cavity to surrounding tissue varies directly with intraperitoneal hydrostatic pressure (Pip). According to Darcy's law [Q = -KA(dPif/dx)], fluid flux (Q) across a cross-sectional area (A) of tissue will increase with an increase in either hydraulic conductivity (K) or the interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure gradient (dPif/dx, where x is distance). Previously, we demonstrated that in the anterior abdominal muscle (AAM) of rats, dPif/dx increases by only 40%, whereas K rises fivefold between Pip of 1.5 and 8 mmHg. Because K is a function of interstitial volume (thetaif), we hypothesized that perturbations of Pip would change Pif and expand the interstitium, increasing thetaif. To test this hypothesis, we used dual-label quantitative autoradiography (QAR) to measure extracellular fluid volume (thetaec) and intravascular volume (thetaiv) in the AAM of rats within the Pip range from -2.8 to +8 mmHg. thetaif was obtained by subtraction (thetaec - thetaiv). dPif/dx was measured with a micropipette and a servo-null system. Local thetaiv did not vary with Pip and averaged 0.010 +/- 0.002 ml/g, and thetaif averaged 0. 19 +/- 0.01 ml/g at Pif 0.001) in the SC. We conclude that the mechanisms responsible for the increase in K with Pip include expansion of the interstitium, dilution of interstitial macromolecules, and washout from the AAM to SC of interstitial macromolecules responsible for resistance to fluid flow.