What Causes Foot and Ankle Swelling?

The causes of lymphedema are classified into many types, taking into account the etiology and clinical type, and are mainly divided into two major categories: primary and secondary. Primary lymphedema is mostly caused by congenital dysplasia such as lymphatic dilatation, valve insufficiency or absence. According to lymphangiography, primary lymphedema can be classified as follows: Lymphatic hypoplasia with subcutaneous lymphatic absentness; Lymphatic hypoplasia, small and few lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels; Lymphatic hyperplasia, with large and lymphatic vessels Many times, there are distortions and flexures. Lymphatic dysplasia is very rare, and it is common in congenital lymphedema. Underdevelopment is the most common type. Simple and ordered lymphedema are congenital. Early-onset lymphedema is more common in adolescent women or young women, and symptoms worsen during menstruation, so it is speculated that the cause may be related to endocrine disorders, accounting for 85 to 90% of primary lymphedema. Onset after 35 years of age is called late-onset Lymphedema. Secondary lymphedema is mostly caused by lymphatic obstruction. The most common in China are filariasis lymphedema and streptococcal infection. Upper extremity lymphedema is not uncommon after radical mastectomy.