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Lymphoedema
Medical Questions » Lymphoedema
| Name: Lymphoedema |
| Also known as: |
| Severe swelling of a limb due to accumulation of lymph. |
Causes of Lymphoedema
Lymph is a waste products of all cells that returns to the circulation through a complex network of fine tubes that eventually drain into a major vein near the heart. The lymph ducts pass through the lymph nodes that are concentrated in the arm pit, groin and neck, and act to remove any bacteria or abnormal cells. Lymphoedema is a common complication of surgery when lymph channels are disrupted by the removal of lymph nodes in the arm pit or groin because of breast or other cancers. The lymphatic fluid is unable to return to the circulation normally and accumulates in the limb. |
Symptoms of Lymphoedema
The limb becomes very swollen, tense and sore. In severe cases the arm is rock hard and three times its normal size. |
Tests for Lymphoedema
None normally necessary. |
Treatment for Lymphoedema
Very difficult problem to treat. Elevation, exercises, pressure bandages and a plastic sleeve that envelopes the arm and is rhythmically inflated by a machine, can be tried.
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Complications of Lymphoedema of its treatment
Ulceration and infection of the skin and deeper tissues in the affected limb. Stewart-Treves syndrome. |
Likely Outcome of Lymphoedema
Severity varies dramatically from one patient to another, with only a partial relationship to the severity of the surgery. Often persists for many years before gradually subsiding as new lymph channels are formed. |
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