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Disorders of Lymphatic Vessels

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Book cover Atlas of Dermatology, Dermatopathology and Venereology

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Abstract

Lymphedema manifested as chronic swelling of a part of the body can be a clinical presentation of physical or functional insufficiency of lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes. The insufficiency can be primary or secondary, syndromic, connected with impaired vascular lesions, or multisegmental with systemic dysfunction at birth or later the life. Most reasons for secondary lymphedema are filariasis and oncological diseases. If lymphedema is not treated, it can progress to stage III, where different complications can be seen including hyperpigmentation, ulcer formation, and papillomatosis with lymphorrhea. It is necessary that lymphedema is distinguished from the other edematous lesions such as phlebolymphedema and systemic edema and lipedema because of their different treatments. Compression therapy is common to all. In the treating phase, short-stretch bandages are used, while in the maintenance phase, compression garments are necessary. To monitor the edema, the severity of edema is measured by different volumetry methods. Other therapeutic options are available but less commonly prescribed. Today, surgical approaches are important therapeutic options in this regard.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatovenerological Clinic, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj

  2. Department of Angiology, Hypertension and Diabetology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland

    Andrzej Szuba

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  1. Tanja Planinšek Ručigaj
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  2. Andrzej Szuba
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Univ of Rochester School of Med, Rochester, NY, USA

    Bruce Smoller

  2. Khorramshahr, Iran

    Nooshin Bagherani

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Planinšek Ručigaj, T., Szuba, A. (2020). Disorders of Lymphatic Vessels. In: Smoller, B., Bagherani, N. (eds) Atlas of Dermatology, Dermatopathology and Venereology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45134-3_67-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45134-3_67-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-45134-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-45134-3

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