Lymph capillaries have a greater internal oncotic pressure than blood capillaries, due to the greater concentration of plasma proteins in the lymph.
12.
Packed RBCs, plasma or whole blood should not be used solely for volume expansion or to increase oncotic pressure of circulating blood.
13.
The typical swollen abdomen is due to two causes : ascites because of hypoalbuminemia ( low oncotic pressure ), and enlarged fatty liver.
14.
It allows water to flow more freely and it reduces the colloidal or oncotic pressure difference by allowing protein to leave the vessel more easily.
15.
Because plasma proteins are virtually incapable of escaping the glomerular capillaries, this oncotic pressure is defined, simply, by the ideal gas law:
16.
Serum albumins are important in regulating blood volume by maintaining the oncotic pressure ( also known as colloid osmotic pressure ) of the blood compartment.
17.
It is necessary to understand the oncotic pressure as a balance; because the blood proteins reduce interior permeability, less plasma fluid can exit the vessel.
18.
Therefore, the concentration of these proteins tends to increase as the glomerular capillaries filtrate plasma, increasing the oncotic pressure along the length of a glomerular capillary.
19.
Early studies conducted in experimental animals showed that infusion of free haemoglobin caused also substantial increase in oncotic pressure because of its hyperosmolarity, coagulopathy, and hypertension.
20.
Protein-losing enteropathy may also occur, causing depletion of albumin, a blood protein, which may lead to peripheral edema caused by the lowered oncotic pressures.
