Lymphatics Flashcards
Lymphatic system:
What is Lymph?
- Portion of interstitial fluid entering the lymphatic system
Lymphatic organs
Nodes, tonsils, thymus, thoracic duct, bone marrow
MAJOR lymph nodes
- submax, iliac, mesenteric, inguinal, popliteal, supraclavicular, parasternal
Lymphatic system we think of what?
Immune system
Infx’s fighter
Flow of Lymph:
Think SMALL to BIG (all ends up in Subclavian veins)
- FROM lymphatic capillaries
- Lymphatic collecting vessels
- Lymph nodes (filter lymph)
- Lymphatic trunks
- Lymphatic ducts
- Subclavian veins INTO bloodstream
So you know the flow of Lymph. Now where does it get drained? MAJORITY vs RUE/Face?
- ENTIRE L. SIDE and B/L LE’s drained by Thoracic duct
- RUE/Face (ONLY HERE) drained by Lymphatic duct
Lymphatic Load:
aka how much present
AMT of lymph fluid transported
Transport capacity–>
aka HOW MUCH can be transported
MAX amt of fluid that lymphatic system CAN TRANSPORT
Bw the two (Load vs Capacity): INC load + DEC capacity==> Lymphedema
INC lymphatic load + DEC transport cap== Lymphedema
Give some ex’s
- Venous insuff. + blood pooling==> INC lymphatic LOAD (no pump blood, accumulation)
- Lymph node removal==> DEC transport capacity
What is Lymphedema?
- CHRONIC disorder, abnormal accumumulation of lymph in the tissues of one or more body regions
- NOTE: 2 types (Primary vs 2*)
Primary Lymphedema==>
ALWAYS been there
Congenital or hereditary
Secondary Lymphedema ==>
Injury to one or more components of lymph system
EX. lymph node removal
caps-vessels-nodes-trunks-ducts-SubC veins
Practice!!
76yo female w/ dx of SECONDARY lymph. Pt states she had breast cx last year w/ sx to remove cx. All of these COULD be causes of secondary lymph.
- infx
- fibrosis
- Chronic venous insuff.
NOTE: If you see Milroys– this is primary/congenital cause= Primary
Severity of Lymphedema
How is Severity described?
Severity of changes that occur in the skin, and subQ tissues
Severity of Lymphedema
Looking @ Edema (severity lvls)
Summarize each
Severity inc’ing from Pitting–> Weeping
- Pitting-“makes a pit”–short duration edema w/ little or NO fibrotic changes in skin or SubQ
- Brawny (strong guy, feels hard)– NO PIT. More severe form of swelling w/ progressive, fibrotic changes in SubQ
- Weeping (crying, leaking)– MOST severe, LONG duration. Fluid leaks cuts/sores–sig impaired wound healing–> EXCLUSIVELY in LEs
(+) Stemmer Sign in a nutshell…
CANNOT PINCH THE SKIN
==> WORSENING OF CONDITION
Stemmer Sign KNOW IT!
(+) = Stage II or III Lymph.
(+)= dorsal surf. of skin cannot be pinched (lifted) vs uninvolved
==> Worsening
Stages of Lymphedema
Lymph03dema
4 Stages total:
**Staged 0-3 **
Lymph03dema
Stages of Lymph03dema
0(best)-3(worst)
ALL HERE
Lymph03dema Stages:
Stage 0 (Latency)
Latency
- NO clinical edema–> report heaviness
- (-)Stemmer–bc NO edema!
- Tissue/skin appear NORMAL
Lymph03dema Stages:
Stage 1: **Reversible **
Think “Pitting”
SEE REVERSIBLE—-W/ ELEVATION!! BC GRAVITY!!!
Reversible
- Edema present (soft/pitting)
- Edema–> INCs w/ stand/activity BUT reduces w/ elevation (gravity assists)
- (-)Stemmer–bc reversible!
Lymph03dema Stages:
Stage 2: Spontaneously IRreversible
NO longer pitting–> progresses to Brawny (strong guy, hard)
Key words: Hard, Fibrosclerotic, proliferation adipose
Spontaneously Irreversible
- Hard swelling; progresses to NONpit BRAWNY edema
- (+)Stemmer, (still neg. in early stage II)
- Tissue appears fibrosclerotic (hard); prolif of adipose
Lymph03dema Stages:
Stage 3: Lymphostatic Elephantiasis
Elephant one
Lymphostatic Elephantiasis
- Edema!–SEVERE, Brawny, NONpit
- (+)Stemmer…obvi.
- Skin Changes!–papillomas, deep skinfolds, warty protrusions, hypERkeratosis, mycotic infxs—SEE THESE WORDS==STAGE 3!!!!
- Bacterial/viral infxs common
SKIN CHANGES==STAGE 3!!!
PRACTICE!
Female referred w/ lymphedema. NOTABLE swelling HARD and fibrotic, (+) stemmer, hypERkeratosis (skin changes!!!). Which stage?
Stage 3
SKIN CHANGES!!!
0= latency, 1= reversible, 2= spont. irreversible, 3=elephantiasis