Active drainage of cardiac lymph in relation to reduction in size of myocardial infarction: an experimental study. Active drainage of cardiac lymph using hyaluronidase was attempted in dogs. The results were satisfactory and the ischemic myocardium was salvaged. The infarct risk area (I/R) ratio decreased after drainage. Regional myocardial ischemia and infarction were provided by means of ligature of the left coronary artery for 120 and 240 minutes respectively. Cardiac lymph was collected by conventional procedures. Enzymes released from the myocardium increased significantly in the cardiac lymph. The volume of cardiac lymph gradually increased after ligature of the coronary artery. Administration of hyaluronidase further increased the cardiac lymph flow and significantly decreased the I/R ratio as determined by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and methylene blue staining. Drainage of the cardiac lymph salvaged the ischemic myocardium. Reduction of interstitial edema and augmentation of cardiac lymph flow with the hyaluronidase prevented the development of the infarction. This is the first documentation of the effect of active drainage of cardiac lymph on the development of infarction through observation of the I/R ratio. 