Diseases of the lymphatic system

Under the lymphoid syndrome is understood the pathological conditions that develop in the lymphoid formations of the body, which along with the venous is associated not only anatomically but also functionally (draining tissues, removing metabolic products, lymphopoiesis, protective function) due to the disease of the lymphatic system. Lymphoid vessels and nodes accompany the veins and lymph through the ducts, equipped with valves, discharged into the venous blood.

[1],

Inflammatory diseases of the lymphatic system

Lymphadenitis is a secondary disease that develops as a complication of various purulent-inflammatory processes and specific infections. Distinguish between acute and chronic, specific and nonspecific.

Primary foci may be abscesses of any localization and etiology. Microflora in the lymph nodes, which are filters, comes in lymphogenous, hematogenous and contact way. Inflammation develops as a general type. By the nature of exudate distinguish serous, hemorrhagic, fibrinous, purulent lymphadenitis. Progression of purulent inflammation can lead to destructive changes with the development of an abscess, phlegmon (adenophlegmons), and chorious decay.

In acute process, pain is noted in the region of regional nodes, they are enlarged, dense, painful, palpation, mobile, skin over them is not changed. When you go to the purulent process, the pain becomes sharp, the swelling arises, the skin over the lymph nodes is hyperemic, palpation causes a sharp soreness, the previously clearly palpable nodes merge, forming bags, sharply painful when palpated, immobile. In the formation of adenophlegmons against the background of extensive infiltration and hyperemia, foci of softening appear. The general condition varies depending on the type of disease of the lymphatic system.

Chronic nonspecific lymphadenitis is formed mainly as a result of a chronic process, when a weakly virulent microflora enters the lymph nodes, for example, with tonsillitis, caries, otitis, fungal leg lesions, etc. The process is proliferative. The nodes are dense, painless or weakly painful, mobile. They long remain enlarged, but as the proliferation of connective tissue decreases in size. In some cases, the proliferation of lymph nodes can lead to the development of lymphostasis, edema or elephantiasis. According to the type of chronic and specific lymphadenitis: tuberculosis, syphilitic, actinomycosis, etc. All forms of chronic disease of the lymphatic system should be differentiated with lymphogranulomatosis and tumor metastases according to the clinical picture and biopsy method.

Lymphangitis - inflammatory diseases of the lymphatic system, which complicates the course of various pyoinflammatory diseases. Distinguish serous and purulent, acute and chronic, mesh (capillary) and trunkular (trunk) lymphangitis. Formation of the disease indicates the weighting of the main pathological process.

With reticular lymphangitis, there is edema and marked hyperemia of the skin resembling hyperemia in erysipelas, but without a clear boundary, it is sometimes possible to reveal a network pattern with a more intense or, conversely, pale color. With stem lymphangitis, edema and hyperemia are noted in the form of bands coming from the focus of inflammation to the regional nodes. In almost all cases, the disease of the lymphatic system is combined with the development of lymphadenitis. Moreover, with lymphangiitis of deep vessels, edema is not expressed, but pain and sharp pain during palpation, with early development of lymphadenitis, are noted along the vessels. Lymphangites are often accompanied by the development of thrombophlebitis.

Tumor diseases of the lymphatic system

Benign tumors - lymphangiomas - are extremely rare, are an intermediate state between the tumor and malformation, with the predominant localization in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, more often in the zone of localization of the lymph nodes, in the form of a bubble (thin-walled vesicles up to 0.5-2.0 cm, lymph) and cavernous (soft to the touch, tumor-like subcutaneous formations, often with the formation of blisters on the skin and sharp deformation of affected areas), cystic (soft, hemispherical, painless formation, not soldered to the skin, the skin can be unchanged or have a cyanotic appearance) of the forms. Never maligns. Malignant tumors can be of two types: primary, with a lesion at the beginning of a single lymph node with subsequent involvement of other nodes in the process (noted only with lymphoma and lymphogranulomatosis); secondary due to metastasis from the primary tumor or hemoblastosis. A distinctive feature is the development of the oncosyndrome. In all cases, the diagnosis must be confirmed by biopsy.