What is lymphostasis?
Lymphostasis – this is a pathology of lymph outflow of varying degrees, ranging from the lymphatic capillaries and peripheral lymphatic vessels of the extremities and other organs to the main lymphatic collectors and the thoracic duct. A large number of people faced such a problem as edema of the limbs. Any inflammatory process is accompanied by pain and swelling. However, this phenomenon is not permanent.
It is much worse when the edema is constant, when the disease progresses, ulcers appear, the disease develops – lymphostasis. There is swelling of the lymphatic vessels, which causes the development of acute or chronic lymphostasis. As a result, an increase in the volume of the limb, the skin becomes rough, dense, the subcutaneous tissue also thickens, then hyperkeratosis and cracks. This disease is also called elephantiasis. Chronic lymphostasis, turning into elephantiasis, can develop due to many reasons. If elephantiasis is congenital, then it is combined with vascular spots, various forms of limb dysplasia.
Stages of lymphostasis
There are 3 stages in the development of lymphostasis.
Spontaneous reversible edema lymphostasis. The edema is quite noticeable, you can press on it with your finger, this is lymphostasis in the progression stage. The patient sees a significant increase in the volume of the limb, in the morning the edema subsides, but in the evening it becomes the same. In this stage of the development of the disease, a person very rarely goes to the doctor.
Spontaneous irreversible edema – This is the most advanced form of lymphostasis. Hardening of the skin occurs through the growth of connective tissue, for this reason the edema is no longer so soft. The skin is strongly stretched, and very sensitive, with greater tension, pain is already felt.
irreversible edema lymphostasis, fibrosis, cysts. The diseased limb changes its contour due to damaged tissues. Lymphostasis takes the extreme stage of elephantiasis.
The limb becomes poorly mobile due to the development of mounting contracture, large weighting of the limb, deforming osteoarthritis; All this impairs the function of the limb.
Causes of lymphostasis
The causes of chronic lymphostasis are as follows: traumatic occlusions, ruptures, intersections of the lymphatic tracts due to injuries (bruises, fractures, dislocations, burns, operations), X-ray therapy, compression by scars, tumors, metastatic block of the lymphatic tracts and nodes.
Other causes of lymphedema are:
tumors of the lymphatic system – benign and malignant;
infections – usually staphylococcal and parasitic (in hot countries);
it happens that lymphostasis develops during operations, with special removal or irradiation of the lymph nodes during the elimination of a cancerous tumor;
injuries in which the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes are damaged (burns, radiation exposure, mechanical damage).
Is lymphostasis dangerous?
Lymphostasis does not pose a particular danger to human life, although swelling of the hands negatively affects the quality of life. Very often the patient feels pain in the edematous arm. Another disadvantage of this disease is that various infections quickly develop against its background. Through any minor wound on the skin, the infection can very quickly penetrate the tissues.
Video: surgeon phlebologist-lymphologist Ekaterina Kadnikova, phlebology center will tell you about lymphostasis: