Table of Contents
Definition / general | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: DePond WD. Lymphedema. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lymphnodeslymphedema.html. Accessed January 19th, 2021.
Definition / general
- Either congenital, infectious, obstructive, traumatic or idiopathic
- Congenital: also called Milroy disease (primary hereditary lymphedema), autosomal dominant (OMIM: Lymphedema, Hereditary, IA; LMPH1A [Accessed 28 June 2018], OMIM: Lymphedema, Hereditary, II; LMPH2 [Accessed 28 June 2018], OMIM: Yellow Nail Syndrome [Accessed 28 June 2018], OMIM: Lymphedema-Distichiasis Syndrome [Accessed 28 June 2018])
- Infectious: due to schistosomiasis in endemic areas; occasionally due to minor infection such as furuncle
- Obstructive: associated with malignancy or nodal dissection (axilla or groin most common)
- Traumatic: may be as minor as sprained ankle
- Idiopathic: called lymphedema praecox (if before age 35 years) or tarda
- All causes are associated with lymphangitis, cellulitis and recurrent infections
- Postmastectomy lymphedema may lead to angiosarcoma
Treatment
- Elevation of extremity, compression and massage; if necessary, excise thickened skin and replace with skin grafts
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Markedly dilated dermal lymphatics, including in lymph nodes
- Fibrous tissue deposition in overlying skin, subcutaneous tissue and fascia
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Dilated lymphatic spaces lined by endothelium
Additional references
