Lymphedema is a chronic condition resulting in a local swelling, often of one arm or one leg, caused by the build- up of lymph under the skin. The condition, as well as the limb swelling, is permanent. On top of the swelling, it causes pain, recurrent skin infections and impaired movements, in many cases resulting in a state of disability for the patient.
As no cure is available, the standard treatment today is the so called Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT): a combination of manual drainage sessions performed at the hospital or at a specialized physiotherapist, followed by compression therapy. In many cases, patients should wear compression garments continuously, often 24/7, to contain the limb swelling.
with lymphedema in the western world
Primary lymphedema –a genetic disorder that affects the development of the lymphatic system. The estimated prevalence of these disorders is 1 in 6,000 – 10,000 individuals in the general population1.
Secondary lymphedema – caused by damage to the lymphatic system or problems with the movement and drainage of fluid in the lymphatic system; it can be the result of cancer treatment, infection, injury, inflammation of the limb, or lack of limb movement. It is significantly the more common form: it is estimated that as many as 10 million patients suffer from lymphedema in the western world2, 140 million worldwide3.
1 https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hereditary-lymphedema/?filter=Affected+Populations
2 Brown S, Dayan JH, Coriddi M, Campbell A, Kuonqui K, Shin J, Park HJ, Mehrara BJ, Kataru RP. Pharmacological Treatment of Secondary Lymphedema. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 25;13:828513. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.828513. PMID: 35145417; PMCID: PMC8822213, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8822213/
3 Schulze H, Nacke M, Gutenbrunner C, Hadamitzky C. Worldwide assessment of healthcare personnel dealing with lymphoedema. Health Econ Rev. 2018 Apr 16;8(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s13561-018-0194-6. PMID: 29663122; PMCID: PMC5901432. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5901432/]
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