heart and blood vessel disorders
Lymphedema
Introduction
Lymphedema is the accumulation of lymph in tissues, resulting in swelling. When lymphatic vessels are injured or obstructed, lymph fluid cannot drain and accumulates in tissues, causing swelling. Compression bandages or pneumatic stockings can reduce the swelling. (See also Overview of the Lymphatic System .) Lymph nodes are tiny, bean-shaped organs that filter lymph fluid. They are located throughout the body, but particular collections are found just under the skin in the neck, under the arms, and in the groin area. Lymph nodes are part of the Overview of the Lymphatic System , which is one of the body's defense mechanisms against the spread of infection and cancer. Lymph is clear fluid that is made up of water, White Blood Cells , proteins, and fats that have filtered out of blood vessels into the spaces between cells. Some of the fluid is reabsorbed by the blood vessels, but the rest enters the lymphatic vessels. Lymph then passes through the lymph nodes, which are specific collection points where damaged cells, infectious organisms, and cancer cells are filtered from the fluid and destroyed. If many infectious organisms or cancer cells are present, the lymph nodes swell. Sometimes, organisms cause infection within a lymph node. 