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(Circulation. 1955;11:411.)
© 1955 American Heart Association, Inc.

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The Relief of Resistant Edema by Utilization of a Sump Phenomenon

FERDINAND R. SCHEMM M.D.¹ AUGUSTO A. CAMARA M.D.¹

¹ From the Department of Medicine of the Great Falls Clinic and the Metabolic Unit, Montana Deaconness Hospital, Great Falls, Montana.

Fourteen massively edematous patients with either cardiac disease or nephritis, who had hydrothorax and/or ascites, have proved resistant to the usual diuretic measures, but have been relieved of edema by repeated aspirations of fluid from either the pleural or peritoneal spaces. In the intervals between aspirations the fluid of the interstitial space appeared to seep readily into the sump from which fluid had just been removed. The repeated aspirations did not result in hyponatremia nor hypoproteinemia in these cases. As a means of by-passing "`reluctant" kidneys the utilization of the sump phenomenon has proved simple, safe and effective in some very obstinate cases.