Lymphedema & Venous Insufficiency Flashcards
Edema
Swelling caused by too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues.
Edema can affect any part of the body, but it’s more likely to show up in the legs and feet.
Causes of Edema
Gravity: If you spend a lot of time sitting or standing in one place for too long, water naturally pulls down into your arms, legs and feet (dependent edema).
Weakened valves of your veins (venous insufficiency): When the valves in your veins are weak, it is hard for your veins to push blood back up to your heart, and leads to varicose veins and a buildup of fluid in the legs.
Underlying medical conditions: Conditions like heart failure and lung, liver, kidney and thyroid diseases have edema as a symptom.
Side effects from medication: Some drugs, like blood pressure or pain management medications, have edema as a side effect.
Poor nutrition: If you aren’t eating a well-balanced diet or if you eat a lot of foods high in salt (sodium), fluid could build up in different parts of your body.
Pregnancy: Swelling in your legs during pregnancy occurs as the uterus puts pressure on your blood vessels in the lower trunk of your body.
Compromised immune system: An allergic reaction, infection, burns, trauma or clots can lead to edema.
Types of Edema
Lymphedema, Venous edema, dependent edema, mixed edema (organ/organ specific edema)
Lymphedema
Abnormal removal of interstitial fluid because of failure of the lymphatic system.
Venous edema / insufficiency
Incompetence of the veins that occur because of the dilation/enlargement of veins and dysfunction of their valves.
Dependent Edema
Detectable amount of increase in ECF localized in a dependent area, such as a limb.
Swelling, pitting, influenced by gravity.
Grade 1 Edema
Pitting edema.
Pressure applied persists for some time after the release of pressure.
Grade 2 Edema
Non-pitting edema.
Usually effects arms/legs.
Usually occurs after lymph node surgery, mastectomy, or congenitally.
Pressure that is applied does not result in persistent indentation.
Grade 3 Edema
Often called elephantitis.
Almost exclusively in the legs.
May have gross changes to the skin, some fluid leakage, rarely reversible.
Symptoms of lymphedema / venous insufficiency
Swelling, puffiness of tissue on der the skin, stretched or shiny skin, retains dimple, increased abdominal size.
Complications of lymphedema / venous insufficiency
Weight gain, cellulitis, skin ulceration, yellow nails.
Lymphedema care
Skin care, infections, manual lymph drainage, compression garments, therapeutic exercises, sequential compression pumps.
Skin Care
Can lead to sepsis, gangrene, amputation and death is skin is not taken care of.
Manual lymph drainage
Combination of compression garments and skin care.
Used to effectively treat primary/secondary edema post-surgical/ post-traumatic swelling and venous insufficiencies.
Compression Garments
Reduces the volume of the limb.
Doesn’t cure lymphedema.
Available in various classes/styles
