Lymphedem is a swelling of soft tissues resulting from a disturbance of the lymph of lymphatic pathways. Most often meet swelling of the upper and lower extremities. In some cases, swelling reaches such a form that the disease is called «elephantia».
Content
Concept of lymphideme
The lymphatic system of a person consists of lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes. Lymph is a biological fluid containing proteins and fats. Lymph lymphatic vessels flow to lymphatic nodes. In the lymph paths of lymph, filtered from «Exhaust materials», which are leakocyte residues, bacteria and other alien substances, and further returns back to lymphatic pathways.
There is no man on Earth, which would not have come across the problem of edema, in one way or another throughout his life. Any inflammatory response is accompanied by pain and edema. But this is a temporary phenomenon. The case when a resistant edema occurs, accompanied by the thickening of the limb, the skin seal, and in the future, with the progression of the disease, ulcers, the development of elephants. Lymph outflows through lymphatic vessels can be broken. Balance impairment between the formation and outflow of lymph leads to lymphostase (lymphatic edema). In case of damage (blockage, sticking, overgrowth) lymphatic paths of lymph cannot be freely disposed of tissues, which leads to a sweat, sometimes significant. Swelling sometimes happens to such a form that this disease is sometimes called «elephantiasis».
Lymphedema is a swelling of soft tissues, more often than foot or hands, due to the disturbance of the outflow of lymph due to the blockage of lymphatic pathways.
Lymphidem is divided into two types:
- congenital (primary) lymphedema
- Acquired (secondary) lymphedema
Congenital, or primary lymphedema - when a child is born with existing insufficiency of lymph nodes and vessels. Edema usually appears at a young age, and amazes the upper or lower limb. The rare form of congenital lymphedema is manifested in childhood and is called Milroy's disease.
Acquired, or secondary lymphedema is the defeat of the lymphatic system caused by an infectious factor (for example, in the face of inflammation), traumatic and other. This type of lymphidem is much more common.
Some people develop a chronic lymphedem that exists all life. Chronic lymphidem is very difficult to treat. Firewood limbs are easily affected by infection. Any skin injury, such as cut, abrasion, insect bite can cause a severe inflammatory complication called lymphangitis. During lymphangitis, the connecting tissue under the skin occurs. Repeated infections cause its scarring, lead to an infection of the lumen of lymphatic vessels, fabrics become sensitive to the slightest infection. As a result, the tissue seal occurs, which received the name of fibrosis. Fibrosis is one of the most severe complications of chronic lymphidem.
Causes of disease development
The risk factors of the development of lymphedeme are:
- Excessively large patient weight, which leads to limiting the speed of outflow of lymphs from the hand area
- Abuse smoking
- diabetes
- Any conditions in which blood circulation and lymphs are disturbed in the upper limb
- Operational interventions in the field of armpit before the treatment of cancer
Lymphidem may arise a week after surgery or in a few years. The starting mechanism of it may be injury, an infection in the field of hand, or it can be developed without any obvious reasons.
The injury of soft hand tissues (skin, muscles), which leads to the development of infection. These include all sorts of scratches, abrasions, insect bites, sunburns, skin cracks due to dryness, cuts and t.D. Increased weight after the treatment of breast cancer may worsen the conditions of microcirculation in soft tissues and become a starting factor in the development of the lymphedemy.
Increased temperature plays an important role in the development of lymphedhma. At high temperatures, there is an expansion of blood vessels, resulting in a larger flow of fluid into soft tissues and increases the risk of edema development.
Thrombus in Vienna in the area of the armpit can lead to a violation of blood outflow from the upper limb, which is accompanied by the occurrence of edema.
Long-term flights in the plane also serve as an impetus for the appearance of tissue edema. This factor is very rarely the cause of the lymphedemy. In this case, it is associated with pressure drops during flight.
The main manifestations of lymphedhy
Usually symptoms of lymphedhma appear gradually. Sometimes symptoms of lymphedhem may appear 15 years after the lesion of lymphatic vessels. In most cases, patients complain of pain, weakness, redness and severity or a sense of cutting in the affected limb, violation of mobility in wrist or leg.
