[Lymphangiosis melanoblastomatosa]

After endolymphatic therapy and following surgical excision of lymphnodes in a patient with malignant melanoma the involved leg became edematous. In the edematous tissue there was a wide and diffuse spreading of the melanoma cells. Besides numerous cutaneous and subcutaneous metastatic nodules there were areas of blue-black coloring which showed a fine and reticular pattern. Histology confirmed that melanoma cells had filled up predominantly the superficial lymphatic vessels. Fluorescence histochemical investigations showed that these cells were viable and pigment-producing melanoma cells. There were also single enlarged melanocytes in the basal part of the epidermis with a high amount of fluorophores.