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Unit 11 - D3 explain the difference in lymphatic function in health and disease state
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- PEARSON (PEARSON)
This is my D3 task for my distinction graded unit 11 assignment
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Unit 11 – Physiology of Human Body SystemsD3 – explain difference in lymphatic function in health and disease state
Lymphedema “is a long-term condition where excess fluid collects in tissues causing swelling”
[Riches, P. April 2019]. With lymphedema there is a blockage in the lymphatic system which causes
the lymph travelling through the system to come to this blockage and therefore start to build up.
This can get worse if not treated as the tissues are succumbed to severe swelling and so can become
permanently damaged and scarred.
Primary lymphedema is caused by faulty genes that control the lymphatic system, this means the
parts that are necessary for the drainage of fluid do not work as they should.
Secondary lymphedema occurs when a healthy lymphatic system becomes damaged, the causes of
this can be; surgery for cancer, radiotherapy, obesity and infections such as cellulitis.
The start of lymphedema is when the lymphatic system is damaged and the nodes and/or the vessels
are struggling. The lymphatic vessels are unable to keep up with the amount of fluid the tissues are
trying to get rid of and fewer lymph nodes means the lymph isn’t filtering as properly as it should.
The unfiltered lymph contains waste which starts to build up and when this happens, that area will
start to block up and eventually swell. Infections are more likely due to the lymphocytes being
unable to reach these areas and fight off the infection.
A healthy lymphatic system compared to a lymphatic system with lymphedema has a couple
differences. A normal lymphatic system has fully functioning lymph nodes which assist the lymphatic
system by defending the body from any infections. But with a person who suffers from lymphedema,
if they had surgery, for example a mastectomy, the lymph nodes are removed to stop the spread of
cancer. When these are removed, there are less nodes to filter the lymph and there are less
lymphocytes that are produced in the case of an infection. Regarding the lymphatic vessels of a
healthy lymphatic system, they are able to keep up with the amount of fluid being transported and
are able to release the excess fluid into circulation of the blood. But with lymphedema, these vessels
are unable to carry out a full functioning drainage of this excess fluid. The fluid then slowly starts to
build up and blocks off the vessel causing swelling.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. With non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma, lymph flowing through the lymph vessels contain lymphocytes but these lymphocytes
multiply until there is a higher amount than what’s required.
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