Lymphedema is a chronic condition that is gaining increasing attention in the scientific field due to the application of more and more effective treatments. It is no longer viewed as a condition without solutions; rather, it has become an area open to various treatment possibilities and significant future developments. Lymphedema is an edema, or an accumulation of fluid, with a high concentration of interstitial protein. It is caused by a reduced transport capacity of the lymphatic system. The increase in protein concentration distinguishes it from other types of edema and leads to symptoms and signs that allow lymphedema to be classified as primary or secondary.
Primary lymphedema refers to lymphedema that is evident in the first few months of life, during childhood, or in young adulthood. It usually arises due to structural abnormalities in the lymphatic system that are present from birth. Secondary lymphedema, on the other hand, is lymphedema that develops following events such as the removal of lymph nodes during cancer surgery, degeneration of lymph nodes after radiation therapy, traumatic events, or parasitic infections (such as filariasis).
