[Lymph drainage therapy in secondary lymphedema caused by Kaposi sarcoma]

For reasons not yet known HIV infected patients in the final state of their aids disease often tend to develop Kaposi's sarcoma. These tumours result in secondary lymphatic edemas which are found on both sides of the sarcoma. They reach up to the regional lymphatic nodes blocked by the tumour cells. Depending on the state of the edema a lymphaticdrainage treatment is indicated palliatively; the patients can thus be relieved. A fundamental deterioration of prognosis is not to be expected, as all patients are anyway in the final stage of this not yet curable disease. Differing from treatment of other lymphatic edema, it is of special importance to the therapist - apart from the particular and difficult psychic burden - to pay attention to infection protection by using gloves for each single treatment.