Lymphoedema is a progressive, chronic disease as a result of primary or secondary damage to the Lymph system with consecutive increase and change in the interstitial tissue fluid, characterized by an alteration of tissues. It is not the result of reduced reabsorption into the venous system as we learned it from the Starling principle years ago. Nowadays there is the revised Starling equilibration that tells us, that in homeostasis the whole liquid in the interstitium has to be transported back by the lymphatics, there is no reabsorption. The treatment of Lymphedema involves 2 phases and 5 columns, such as Phase of edema reduction and Phase of optimizing and maintenance and manual lymphatic drainage, manual lymphatic drainage, skin care, hygiene, Compression, exercises and self-management respectively.
