Editing Lymphoedema (section)

== Aetiology ==

* Primary
** Much more common in females
** Often unilateral
** See below for age-related classification
** Congenital <1yo - Milroy's disease
*** Congenital absence, defective function or obstruction of lymphatics
*** One or both lower limbs
** Lymphoedema praecox <35yo
*** The most common form of primary lymphoedema, usually involving only calf and foot, usually unilateral, and typically beginning at puberty
** Lymphoedema tarda >35yo
* Secondary
** Surgery
** Cancer - related to treatment and following factors - most common in developed world
*** Obesity
*** Extent of surgery
*** Delayed wound healing
*** Post-op infection
*** Haematoma/seroma
** Filariasis
*** Infestation with parasites (Wucheria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia timori)
*** Most common cause in developing countries
*** Transmitted by mosquitos - adult worm lives in nodes and releases larvae at night - followed by fibrosis of nodes and elephantiasis
*** Rapidly develops into elephantiasis - extremely difficult to treat
** Burns
** Large/circumferential extremity wounds
** Pregnancy
** Bacterial/fungal infections
** Infections after snake or insect bites
** Contact dermatitis
** Rheumatoid arthritis