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Lipedema is a chronic disease of lipid metabolism that results in the symmetrical impairment of fatty tissue distribution and storage combined with the hyperplasia of individual fat cells. Lipedema occurs almost exclusively in women and is usually associated with a family history and characteristic features. It can be diagnosed based on clinical history and physical examination. Lipedema is usually symmetrical, but spares the feet, is often painful to palpation, and is negative for Stemmer's sign. Additionally, lipedema patients can present with microangiopathies and lipomas. The well-known therapies for lipedema include complex decongestive therapy, pneumatic compression, and diet modifications. However, whether these treatments help reduce swelling is debatable. We encountered a case of lipedema that was initially misdiagnosed as lymphedema. The patient's clinical features and history were different from those typical of lymphedema, prompting a diagnosis of lipedema and she was treated with a complex decongestive therapy program.

Lipedema is a chronic disease of lipid metabolism that results in the symmetrical impairment of fatty tissue distribution and storage combined with the hyperplasia of individual fat cells. Lipedema occurs almost exclusively in women and is usually associated with a family history and characteristic features. It can be diagnosed based on clinical history and physical examination. Lipedema is usually symmetrical, but spares the feet, is often painful to palpation, and is negative for Stemmer's sign. Additionally, lipedema patients can present with microangiopathies and lipomas. The well-known therapies for lipedema include complex decongestive therapy, pneumatic compression, and diet modifications. However, whether these treatments help reduce swelling is debatable. We encountered a case of lipedema that was initially misdiagnosed as lymphedema. The patient's clinical features and history were different from those typical of lymphedema, prompting a diagnosis of lipedema and she was treated with a complex decongestive therapy program.

Lipedema is a disproportional obesity featuring light pressure-induced or spontaneous pain. On the basis of our clinical observations, lymphedema therapy, as practiced in our clinic, reduces the perception of pain beyond leg volume reduction. We therefore aimed to measure pain intensity prior and subsequent to treatment. 38 women with lipedema were enrolled in the study with 19 patients undergoing treatment and 19 serving as the control group using exclusively moisturizers. Treatment consisted of once daily manual lymph drainage (MLD), intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), and multilayered short-stretch bandaging performed throughout a 5-day-course. Pain was evaluated with a 10-item questionnaire, a pain rating scale (PRS), and the Wong-Baker Faces scale. Treatment resulted in a significant reduction of pain with a decrease in mean scores of all three measures. In the control group, only PRS showed significant decrease. Our study results indicate that this treatment regimen not only reduces leg volume and capillary fragility, but also improves pain intensity in patients with lipedema.

Lymphedema and lipedema are chronic progressive disorders for which no causal therapy exists so far. Many general practitioners will rarely see these disorders with the consequence that diagnosis is often delayed. The pathophysiological basis is edematization of the tissues. Lymphedema involves an impairment of lymph drainage with resultant fluid build-up. Lipedema arises from an orthostatic predisposition to edema in pathologically increased subcutaneous tissue. Treatment includes complex physical decongestion by manual lymph drainage and absolutely uncompromising compression therapy whether it is by bandage in the intensive phase to reduce edema or with a flat knit compression stocking to maintain volume.

BACKGROUND: There are many causes for a large lower limb in the pediatric age group. These children are often mislabeled as having lymphedema, and incorrect diagnosis can lead to improper treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine the differential diagnosis in pediatric patients referred for lower extremity "lymphedema" and to clarify management. METHODS: The authors' Vascular Anomalies Center database was reviewed between 1999 and 2010 for patients referred with a diagnosis of lymphedema of the lower extremity. Records were studied to determine the correct cause for the enlarged extremity. Alternative diagnoses, sex, age of onset, and imaging studies were also analyzed. RESULTS: A referral diagnosis of lower extremity lymphedema was given to 170 children; however, the condition was confirmed in only 72.9 percent of patients. Forty-six children (27.1 percent) had another disorder: microcystic/macrocystic lymphatic malformation (19.6 percent), noneponymous combined vascular malformation (13.0 percent), capillary malformation (10.9 percent), Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (10.9 percent), hemihypertrophy (8.7 percent), posttraumatic swelling (8.7 percent), Parkes Weber syndrome (6.5 percent), lipedema (6.5 percent), venous malformation (4.3 percent), rheumatologic disorder (4.3 percent), infantile hemangioma (2.2 percent), kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (2.2 percent), or lipofibromatosis (2.2 percent). Age of onset in children with lymphedema was older than in patients with another diagnosis (p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: "Lymphedema" is not a generic term. Approximately one-fourth of pediatric patients with a large lower extremity are misdiagnosed as having lymphedema; the most commonly confused causes are other types of vascular anomalies. History, physical examination, and often radiographic studies are required to differentiate lymphedema from other conditions to ensure the child is managed appropriately.

BACKGROUND: Lipedema is a painful, genetically induced abnormal deposition of subcutaneous fat in the extremities of almost exclusively women. The pathogenesis is unknown and no curative treatment is available. Conservative therapy consisting of lymphatic drainage and compression stockings is often recommended, but is only effective against the edema. Some patients show a short-term improvement when treated in this way. The removal of the increased fat tissue of lipedema has become possible by employing advanced liposuction techniques which utilize vibrating microcannulas under tumescent local anesthesia. The effectiveness of this approach to lipedema is the subject of this study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 patients were examined before liposuction and six months thereafter. The survey included the measurement of the volume of the legs and several parameters of typical pain and discomfort. The parameters were measured using visual analogue scales (VAS, scale 0-10). RESULTS: The volume of the leg was reduced by 6.99 %. Pain, as the predominant symptom in lipedema, was significantly reduced from 7.2 ± 2.2 to 2.1 ± 2.1 (p < 0.001). Quality of life as a measure of the psychological strain caused by lipedema improved from 8.7 ± 1.7 to 3.6 ± 2.5 (p < 0.001). Other parameters also showed a significant improvement and the over-all severity score improved in all patients. CONCLUSION: Liposuction reduces the symptoms of lipedema significantly.

At the 3rd International Lymphoedema Framework (ILF) conference in Toronto, an attempt was made to begin to try to address this issue. Over thirty people attended a lipoedema workshop run by the author. In this workshop, I had the opportunity to talk to this international group (Canada, USA, Netherlands, Australia, UK, Germany) who shared their experiences from across the world. One of the goals of the workshop was to create an initial broad consensus about the worldwide diagnosis and management of lipoedema.The outcomes of that workshop are presented in the following report.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to examine the frequency and significance of visualization of popliteal nodes during lymphoscintigraphy for the investigation of lower extremity swelling. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Technetium-99m–labeled nanocolloid was injected subcutaneously in the first web spaces of both feet of 204 consecutive patients (69 males, 135 females; age range, 11–79 years) undergoing routine, clinically indicated lymphoscintigraphy; imaging was performed 5, 45, and 150 minutes after injection. The patients were asked not to undertake any vigorous exercise between the injection and completion of imaging. RESULTS. No popliteal nodes were visualized in 29 patients in whom there was no evidence of lymphedema on clinical or lymphoscintigraphic examination (group 1). Unilateral or bilateral popliteal nodes were visualized in 10 of 39 patients (25.6%) with clinical evidence of lymphedema but normal lymphoscintigraphy findings (group 2) (p < 0.005 vs group 1). In 136 patients with clinical evidence of lymphedema and abnormal lymphoscintigraphy findings (group 3), unilateral or bilateral popliteal nodes were visualized in 59 (43.4%) (p < 0.0001 vs group 1). Popliteal nodes were visualized in 40 of 73 limbs with “dermal backflow” (54.8%) and 42 of 335 limbs without dermal backflow (12.5%) (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION. Popliteal node visualization after subcutaneous foot web space injection is an important sign of abnormal lymphatic function in patients with clinical lymphedema of the lower extremities.

It is estimated that 3.5 million patients, both male and female, suffer from a congenital lipid distribution disorder of the arms and legs. Because these lipid distribution disorders are painful, owing to a lymphological high volume insufficiency and a structural drainage incompetence, the term lipohyperplasia dolorosa has become established as the name for the clinical picture of lipoedema. This lymphological clinical picture has also undergone a paradigm change with regard to the therapeutic options over the last 15 years: lipohyperplasia dolorosa is curable. This four part series reports on the principles and successes in operative lymphology. Zusammenfassung Geschätzt werden 3,5 Millionen PatientInnen, die an einer angeborenen Fettverteilungsstö-rung der Beine und Arme leiden. Da diese Fettverteilungsstörungen aufgrund einer lym -phologischen Hochvolumeninsuffizienz und einer strukturellen Drainageschwäche schmerzhaft ist, hat sich der Begriff Lipo-hyperplasia dolorosa zur Bezeichnung des Krankheitsbildes Lipödem durchgesetzt. Auch in Bezug auf die therapeutischen Optionen erlebte dieses lymphologische Krankheitsbild in den letzten 15 Jahren einen Paradigmenwechsel: Lipohyperplasia dolorosa ist heilbar. In einer vierteiligen Serie wird über Grundlagen und Erfolge der operativen Lymphologie berichtet werden.

The article offers the insight of doctor Louis Habbema concerning the treatment of lipedema. The author says that liposuction with the use of super tumescent local anesthesia is being considered as an important advancement in lipedema treatment. Furthermore, he states that the liposuction treatment conducted in approximately 800 women has improved patients' symptoms and effectively and safely removes their fats.

Background: As we did not find any reliable datas concerning the prevalance of lipoedema (in Middle Europe), we started an anamnestic, clinical and (duplex-)sonographic investigation in 62 professional women. We were endavoured to avoid a bias of assertion and to get a socially correct composition of the collective. Results: Including all stages of lipoedema, also the mild ones (lipohyperplasia), 39 % of women were concerned. Regarding only the moderate to distict findings of markedly filled in ankles, 9.7 % were concerned. Only the breeches-type was found in 4.8 %. There were no relevant differences in age, length and age of menarche in women without and with lipoedema. Women with lipoedema were heavier than those without and they had accordingly a higher body-mass index. The thickness of subcutis + cutis 8 cm above the medial malleolus was 11 ± 2.8 mm in women without lipoedema and about 16 mm in those with lipoedema (beyond the double standard deviation). The thickness of the cutis lied on average distictly under 2 mm in both groups. Sonography seems to be a safe tool in the judgment of the subcutis – also in epidemiological studies.

Lipedema is a symmetric fat disorder in women which affects legs and arms. Due to the fat bulges at the proximal inner thigh there is an abduction of the leg axis that leads to a change in the walking appearance and to an unnatural physiological strain on the leg joints (knock knee).

Lipedema is an infrequently recognized and often neglected clinical entity that nearly always affects women. It poses a diagnostic challenge as one of the common disorders that is easily confused with lymphedema.