[Lymphedema: anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of lymphedema, definition and classification of lymphedema and lymphatic vascular malformations]. / Das Lymphödem - Anatomie, Physiologie und Pathophysiologie des Lymphödems, Definition und Klassifizierung des Lymphödems und lymphatischer Gefäßmalformationen.

Lymphedema is a chronic disease associated with a congenital or acquired disorder of the lymphatic vessels or lymph nodes. Untreated lymphedema can lead to complications and disability. Clinical Lymphology deals not only with lymphedema of the extremities but also of the head, the genitals and the internal organs (lymphostatic enteropathy, chylaskos, chylothorax, chylopericard etc). Symptoms of this disorder are often misdiagnosed or not recognized. Ignorance and trivialization of lymphedema causes insufficient treatment, which then is not carried out to the extent as it is possible today by scientific findings. Even today delayed or not optimal treatment causes a long ordeal for many patients.The fact that lymphedema for those affected is a major psychological and social burden, which is limiting the quality of life, has also often been unregarded. The knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology as well as the knowledge of causes are necessary for diagnosis, so that early treatment can be initiated.

[Possibilities of surgical therapy of lymphedema]. / Möglichkeiten der chirurgischen Therapie des Lymphödems.

The surgical treatment of lymphedema, which was mainly used on limbs, was, up until the beginning of the last century marked by radical resection methods. Over the last 20 years, through the development of microsurgical techniques, lymphatics and lymph nodes are anastomosed after autologous transplantation to bypass blockages that occur after lymphonodal dissection after cancer therapy. As a further efferent surgical method, the lympho-venous anastomosis was propagated during the recent decades.In addition, other minimal invasive surgical techniques concerning dissection have been developed. The well known liposuction technique, which has been frequently and successfully used in cosmetic surgery, is capable of removing tissue changes that are caused by lymphedema with satisfying cosmetic results.Other surgical procedures are so called "additive lymphologic surgical treatments", such as dermatolipectomy and surgical resection of secondary lymphedema-lesions, like papillomatosis cutis, lymphcysts, lymphatic fistulas, which occur especially in lymphedema of the genitals.

[Secondary malignant lymphedema in head and neck tumors]. / Das sekundäre maligne Lymphödem bei fortgeschrittenen HNO-Tumoren.

The occurrence of edema is a serious problem of patients suffering from cancer and may have various causes. Particularly, the secondary malignant lymphedema poses a special threat to patients. In some cases, it indicates the progression of illness, and in fact also results in mutilating physical changes, which add to the already existing impairments caused by the cancer disease. So far therapeutic interventions are limited. Current management consists of physical therapy and pharmacological interventions. There are few powerful studies concerning the efficiency and hardly any concerning combined or comparative treatment in the literature. Most of them focus on the management of lymphedema in breast cancer patients. Preventive measures and supportive therapy are rarely being discussed. In this case report, we describe the successful use of Selen and Sandostatin in treating a facial edema of a patient with advanced head-neck cancer.

[Secondary malignant lymphedema]. / Das sekundäre maligne Lymphödem.

The diagnosis of a secondary malignant lymphoedema which is caused by tumor infiltration or tumor compression is a very important sign for an unknown primary, but also for a tumor relapse. It is a big challenge, because it is often associated with a long story of woe, severe pain and a big reduction in mobility. Only an early diagnosis and introduction of a tumor-specific therapy is able to prevent the progress of this disease. As the secondary lymphedema is a chronic progressive disease, the early beginning of the "Complex physical Oedematherapy" is necessary, which consists of a combination of manual lymph drainage, compression by the use of bandages and special stockings for compression, physical training to improve mobility, dermatological care and drug therapy. Lymphedema is a chronic incurable disease. Therefore the therapeutic goal is to reach a stable disease without symptoms, which means reducing the lymphedema to "Stadium 0, latent stage".