[Lymph drainage with secondary lymphedema caused by Kaposi sarcoma]. / Lymphdrainage bei sekundärem Lymphödem durch Kaposi-Sarkom.

For reasons not yet known HIV infected patients in the final state of their aids disease often tend to develop Kaposi's sarcoma. These tumours result in secondary lymphatic edema which is found on both sides of the sarcoma up to the regional lymphatic nodes, transferred by the tumour cells. Depending on the state of the edema, a lymph drainage treatment is indicated palliatively; the patients can thus be relieved. A fundamental deterioration of the prognosis is not to be expected, the more as all patients are in the final state of this not yet curable disease. Differing from treatment of other lymphatic edema, it is of special importance to the therapist--apart from the difficult and specifically psychic burden--to pay attention to a protection from infection by gloves as a precaution for each single treatment.

["Tertiary" lymphedema--procedures in lymph drainage therapy]. / Das "tertiäre" Lymphödem--Procedere in der Lymphdrainagetherapie.

In patients with malignant tumours (with or without secondary lymphedema) a so-called tertiary lymphedema may develop. This edema is mostly caused by exacerbation of the primary tumor, by local recurrences or by loco-regional metastases. If a tertiary lymphedema is suspected oncologic diagnostic investigations must be immediately performed. During this period lymphatic drainage therapy is stopped. In patients with safely established hopeless prognosis drainage therapy may be continued if necessitated by pain or functional decrease. Otherwise, oncologic therapy should be completed before lymphatic drainage is continued.

[Lymph drainage therapy in secondary lymphedema caused by Kaposi sarcoma]. / Lymphdrainagetherapie bei sekundärem Lymphödem durch Kaposi-Sarkom.

For reasons not yet known HIV infected patients in the final state of their aids disease often tend to develop Kaposi's sarcoma. These tumours result in secondary lymphatic edemas which are found on both sides of the sarcoma. They reach up to the regional lymphatic nodes blocked by the tumour cells. Depending on the state of the edema a lymphaticdrainage treatment is indicated palliatively; the patients can thus be relieved. A fundamental deterioration of prognosis is not to be expected, as all patients are anyway in the final stage of this not yet curable disease. Differing from treatment of other lymphatic edema, it is of special importance to the therapist - apart from the particular and difficult psychic burden - to pay attention to infection protection by using gloves for each single treatment.

[Therapeutic and palliative lymph drainage in therapy of edema in the face and neck]. / Therapeutische und palliative Lymphdrainage zur Odemtherapie im Gesichts- und Halsbereich.

Therapeutic drainage of lymphedema can alleviate facial and cervical edema after surgery or irradiation. It is fully justified even in a malignant tumour with a hopeless prognosis, although there is a risk of increasing the tendency to metastasis.