Diagnosis and Management of Lymphatic Vascular Disease

Diagnosis and Management of Lymphatic Vascular Disease Stanley G. Rockson In health, the lymphatic vasculature possesses the requisite transport capacity to accommodate the fluid load placed upon it. The most readily recognizable attribute of lymphatic vascular incompetence is the presence of lymphedema, which arises as a consequence of insufficient lymph transport. The diagnosis of lymphatic disease relies heavily upon the physical examination. The state-of-the-art therapeutic approach to lymphedema relies upon physiotherapeutic techniques. The application of pharmacological therapies has been notably absent from the management strategies for lymphatic vascular insufficiency states. In the future, specifically engineered molecular therapeutics may facilitate the controlled regrowth of damaged, dysfunctional, or obliterated lymphatic vasculature.