Fusa Ogata and Isao Koshima
Background: Lymphedema is a progressive accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the interstitial space of the skin, resulting from an anatomic or functional obstruction in the lymphatic system. Currently effective therapies for this disease are little known. We have been using surgical treatment, lymphaticovenular anastomoses, for patients and experienced some cases that improved dramatically and did not require the use of stockings and massages for more than ten years after surgery.
Methods: We investigated transitional morphological changes in lymphatic obstructed models by electron microscopy with focus on lymphatic smooth muscle cells after experimentally lymphatic vessel occlusion.
Results: We observed interesting dramatic alterations in obstructed lymphatic smooth muscle cells at different times.
Conclusion: These results suggest possibilities for the diversity of lymphatic smooth muscle cells.