[Secondary leg edema--experimental study]

Peripheral lymphedema can be induced experimentally by obliteration or destruction of the veins and/or lymphatics, extirpation of the lymph nodes and occlusion of lymphatics, circular incision of the soft tissues, experimentally induced thrombophlebitis and by simultaneous traumatization of the veins and lymphatics. Our own animal experiments were designed to provoke leg edema after ligation of the femoral vein and/or accompanying lymphatics below the inguinal ligament. In 23 animals, only one ligature of the femoral vein was applied, below the inguinal ligament and in 12 animals all accompanying lymphatics were ligated in addition. In all animals, the leg circumferences were measured in three precisely fixed positions before the experiments and daily for 22 days during the experiment. The greatest increase in circumference was found in the lower leg irrespective of the time of measurement. The peak increase of circumference was between the third and sixth day after the operation. Permanent lymph edema has not developed in any of the animals. At the latest after three weeks, the leg circumference has normalized. Additional ligation of the lymphatics merely led to a nonsignificant increase in circumference and to displacement of the maximum point by two to three days. Immediately after the operation, phlebographic and lymphographic control investigations were carried out in all animals.