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Laparoscopic detection of sentinel lymph nodes followed by lymph node dissection in patients with early stage cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of sentinel node detection through laparoscopy in patients with early cervical cancer. Furthermore, the results of laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection were studied, validated by subsequent laparotomy. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with early stage cervical cancer who planned to undergo a radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection received an intracervical injection of technetium-99m colloidal albumin as well as blue dye. With a laparoscopic gamma probe and with visual detection of blue nodes, the sentinel nodes were identified and separately removed via laparoscopy. If frozen sections of the sentinel nodes were negative, a laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection, followed by radical hysterectomy via laparotomy, was performed. If the sentinel nodes showed malignant cells on frozen section, only a laparoscopic lymph node dissection was performed. RESULTS: One or more sentinel nodes could be detected via laparoscopy in 25/25 patients (100%). A sentinel node was found bilaterally in 22/25 patients (88%). Histological positive nodes were detected in 10/25 patients (40%). One patient (11%) had two false negative sentinel nodes in the obturator fossa, whereas a positive lymph node was found in the parametrium removed together with the primary tumor. In seven patients (28%), the planned laparotomy and radical hysterectomy were abandoned because of a positive sentinel node. Bulky lymph nodes were removed through laparotomy in one patient, and in six patients only laparoscopic lymph node dissection and transposition of the ovaries were performed. These patients were treated with chemoradiation. In two patients, a micrometastasis in the sentinel node was demonstrated after surgery. Ninety-two percent of all lymph nodes was retrieved via laparoscopy, confirmed by laparotomy. Detection and removal of the sentinel nodes took 55 +/- 17 min. Together with the complete pelvic lymph node dissection, the procedure lasted 200 +/- 53 min. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic removal of sentinel nodes in cervical cancer is a feasible technique. If radical hysterectomy is aborted in the case of positive lymph nodes, sentinel node detection via laparoscopy, followed by laparoscopic lymph node dissection, prevents potentially harmful and unnecessary surgery.

Adult↗

Lymph node involvement by direct extension in adenoid cystic carcinoma. Absence of classic embolic lymph node metastasis.

Thirty-four cases of adenoid cyctic carcinoma seen at the University of Virginia Hospital from 1946 to 1974 were reviewed, with special emphasis on lymph node involvement by tumor. Lymph node involvement was found in three cases of primary tumors of the submaxillary gland, and all of the affected lymph nodes were in the immediate vicinity of the primary tumor. Two lymph nodes were involved in two of the cases, and one node was involved in the third case. In all of these lymph nodes, adenoid cystic carcinoma was present in the soft tissue surrounding the node, and the tumor extended into the node. No metastatic tumors were observed in 46 lymph nodes removed incidentally at the time of local excision of the primary tumors in 10 additional cases or in 212 lymph nodes examined after unilateral radical neck dissections in six other cases. Five autopsies in this series showed no lymph node metastases. In this series of cases adenoid cystic carcinoma only invades lymph nodes in the immediate vicinity of the primary tumor. When lymph node involvement does occur, it does not result from embolic lymph node metastasis; rather, a direct invasion of the lymph node from tumor in the perinodal soft tissue occurs. Obviously, this small study does not completely exclude the possibility of embolic metastasis; however, if it does occur, it must be extremely rare.

Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic↗

Non-random migration of CD4+, CD8+, gamma delta + T19+, and B cells between blood and lymph draining ileal and prescapular lymph nodes in the sheep fetus.

We have examined the circulation of CD5+, CD4+, CD8+, gamma delta + T19+, and B cells through ileal and prescapular lymph nodes in the sheep fetus in an environment uninfluenced by foreign antigen and ongoing immune responses or circulating immunoglobulins, and have contrasted this circulation with that occurring through the same tissue in 1-year-old sheep. The vast majority of lymphocytes circulating through fetal prescapular lymph nodes and fetal ileal lymph were T cells; however, there was a significantly higher concentration of B cells in ileal lymph compared to prescapular lymph. Furthermore, in contrast to 1-year-old sheep, there was an imbalance in the distribution of CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells in fetal prescapular and ileal lymph, with CD4+ cells enriched in prescapular lymph relative to other T cell subsets and CD8+ cells enriched in ileal lymph. Our results suggest that in the fetus either there is preferential migration of CD4+ cells through peripheral lymph nodes and/or CD8+ lymphocytes through the ileal gut, or newly formed CD8+ lymphocytes are being released from the ileum or ileal lymph node directly into ileal lymph.

Animals↗

[Intraoperative labeling of sentinel lymph nodes with a combination of vital dye and radionuclide tracer--results in sentinel lymph node-positive patients].

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy enhances the accuracy of tumor staging in patients with malignant melanoma and can help select candidates for regional lymphadenectomy. There are two techniques for identifying the sentinel lymph node: intradermal injection of a radionuclide tracer or of a blue dye. We evaluated both methods to determine how they can be best utilized to locate a sentinel lymph node. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, 323 patients with melanoma (tumor thickness > or = 0.75 mm) who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy after both radionuclide and blue dye injection were evaluated. The labeling of lymph nodes showing micrometastasis by histopathological examination was determined. RESULTS: 63 patients showed sentinel lymph nodes with micrometastasis. All of these nodes (100 %) were labeled with radionuclide tracer, but only 90 % with blue dye. In 5 patients, only radionuclide labeling identified the histopathologically-positive lymph node. In 36 patients, several sentinel lymph nodes were identified, with the histopathologically-positive nodes usually showing a higher radioactive signal intensity than the negative ones. CONCLUSION: Since in some patients histopathologically-positive lymph nodes are only labeled by radionuclide tracer, radionuclide labeling is indispensable for locating sentinel lymph nodes. In contrast, labeling with blue dye represents a supplementary method, which can simplify the recognition of the sentinel lymph node during surgery.

Female↗

Modification of lymph during passage through the lymph node: effect of histamine.

The possibility that histamine may cause the fluid and protein content of lymph to be altered during passage through the lymph node was evaluated using the canine perfused popliteal lymph node preparation. This preparation enables nodal perfusion via an afferent lymphatic (all other afferents are ligated) with artificial lymph of known composition and collection of the total efferent effluent for analysis of potential changes in volume and composition. In 11 dogs, the node was perfused at an average flow rate of 0.229 ml/min with artificial lymph containing 3.71 g/100 ml albumin. Under base-line conditions, there was no significant modification of the lymph as it passed through the node. The addition of histamine to the infusate (2-4 micrograms base/ml) caused the efferent lymph flow to increase to 0.295 ml/min (35.3% increases, P less than 0.05), the efferent protein concentration to increase to 4.32 g/100 ml (15.2% increases, P less than 0.05), and the efferent protein flux to increase from 8.40 to 12.86 mg/min (58.0% increases, P less than 0.05). The appearance of Evans blue dye-tagged protein and plasma protein fractions, not originally present in the lymph, in the efferent lymph at this time further indicated that the source of the added fluid and protein was the nodal vasculature. Mass balance calculations indicated that the addition of a fluid with a protein concentration of approximately 90% that of plasma to the lymph could account for the observed increases in efferent lymph flow and protein concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Lymph follicles and germinal centers in popliteal lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues of germ-free and conventional rats.

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of natural exogenous antigen stimulation on the development of lymph follicles in the peripheral lymphoid organs of the rat. The number of lymph follicles and germinal centers per popliteal node as well as the morphological features of popliteal nodes, mesenteric nodes and Peyer's patches were compared between 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats reared in germ-free, specific pathogen-free (SPF) and conventional environments. In mesenteric nodes and Peyer's patches from conventional and SPF rats, almost every follicle contained a germinal center. In the mesenteric nodes from germ-free rats, only 9 of 195 lymph follicles examined contained a germinal center, but interestingly, in Peyer's patches all the lymph follicles examined showed a fairly well developed germinal center. The popliteal nodes from germ-free rats had no germinal centers and each node contained about 80 lymph follicles. In six conventional rats and two of five SPF rats used, the number of lymph follicles per popliteal node usually ranged from 100 to 130, and some lymph follicles contained a germinal center. However, in the other three SPF rats the popliteal node on both sides showed no germinal center, and each contained almost the same number of lymph follicles as the popliteal nodes of other SPF and conventional rats. The present results are consistent with the view that even in the absence of exogenous antigen stimulation, a regional lymph node of the germ-free rat develops a substantial number of primary lymph follicles by way of a non-immunological cellular activity, and that natural exogenous antigens may influence the development of lymph follicles by stimulating the cellular activity rather than evoking the humoral immune responses.

Animals↗

[Clinical evaluation of the esophageal lymph flow system based on RI uptake of dissected regional lymph nodes following lymphoscintigraphy].

For surgical treatment of esophageal cancer, the importance of evaluating lymph node metastasis and the lymph flow of the esophagus can not be overemphasized. In oder to investigate the lymph flow of the esophagus, we preoperatively performed lymphoscintigraphy by endoscopic local injection of 99mTc Rhenium Colloid into the esophageal wall in 42 esophageal cancer cases and 4 gastric cancer cases. Postoperatively, the RI uptake of each dissected regional lymph nodes was examined by a Scintillation Counter. The findings were as follows. From the upper third of the thoracic esophagus, the main lymph flow was ascending to the neck and upper mediastinum. From the middle third, the lymph flow was ascending to the neck and upper mediastinum and descending into the abdomen. From the lower third, the main lymph flow was descending to the abdomen. In some cases, the lymph flow to the tracheal bifurcation nodes or to the lymph nodes around the left renal vein was observed. In 61% of the esophageal cancer cases with a partial bilateral neck dissection, the lymph flow to the bilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes was predominant compared to the upper mediastinum nodes.

Animals↗

[Lymph outflow pathways from the uterus and its regional lymph nodes in the rat at various stages of pregnancy].

From the body of the rat uterus, the lymph outflows into the caudal lymph nodes and when the latter are absent--into the iliac lymph nodes. From the medial and middle parts of the uterine horn the lymph out flows into the iliac lymph nodes, and from the lateral part of the uterine horn--into the renal lymph nodes. Some parts of the lymph outflows into corresponding contralateral lymph nodes. If the mass of the caudal lymph nodes in pregnant animals does not significantly differ from those in nonpregnant animals, the mass of the iliac and renal nodes increases with pregnancy. Maximal increase of the iliac and renal lymph nodes mass coincides with completion of the alantoic placenta formation. It is probable that there is a positive correlative dependence between the number of embryos in the uterus and the mass both of the iliac and renal lymph nodes.

Animals↗

Lymph node counts, rates of positive lymph nodes, and patient survival for colon cancer surgery in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study assessed lymph node counts, lymph node status (positive or negative), and survival among patients undergoing colon cancer surgery in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: We obtained data from the Ontario Cancer Registry on 960 patients who underwent a major colon cancer resection in years 1991-1993. Patients and hospitals were ranked by lymph node count to correlate lymph node counts and lymph node status. For node-negative patients we assessed the influence of patient, hospital, and tumor factors on lymph node counts and survival. RESULTS: The rate of node-positive patients was similar among the lymph node count groups. For example, the odds ratio of a patient being node positive if the lymph node count was 10-36 versus 1-3 was 1.0 (CI 0.6-1.6, P = 0.42). Among node-negative patients, survival was improved for patients with a high (10-36) versus low (1-3) lymph node count (HR 0.6, CI 0.4-1.0, P = 0.03). No patient, hospital, or tumor factors predicted both a higher lymph node count and improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study of patients undergoing colon cancer surgery, higher lymph node counts did not correlate with increased rates of node-positive status.

Aged↗

In vivo influences of phorbol ester and calcium ionophore on lymphocyte traffic, lymph flow and efferent lymph levels of thromboxane B2 in sheep.

In vitro systems have provided increasing evidence of significant lymphocyte transmembrane signalling by plasma membrane receptors which utilize antigen and other ligand activation of the inositol phosphate dual second messenger system of intracellular signalling. Elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and activation of protein kinase C are important products of these signals and appear to provide a complete set of mitogenic signals for both T and B cells. Calcium inophore and phorbol ester have been found to mimic these events in vitro and are here employed in vitro to study their effects on lymphocyte traffic and efferent lymph flow through primary peripheral lymph nodes of sheep and on the output into efferent lymph of the arachidonic acid metabolite, thromboxane B2. Calcium ionophore and phorbol ester were given alone or in combination to popliteal lymph nodes of sheep by drainage area injection or by acute infusion into cannulated afferent lympatics of study popliteal lymph nodes whose efferent lymphatic was chronically cannulated for study. The findings resembled those of drainage area immunization with an early increase in efferent lymph flow and prompt and marked depressions in the output into efferent lymph of both small recirculating and blast lymphocytes ('shutdown', 'recruitment'), followed by a marked increase in the output into efferent lymph of both small recirculating and blast lymphocytes. The greatest elevation in both small recirculating and blast lymphocyte outputs was at 24 and 48 h following phorbol ester and calcium ionophore administration. Acute phorbol ester and calcium ionophore administration was associated with a prompt and marked elevation in efferent lymph levels of thromboxane B2 which were of short duration. The findings observed here with lymph node drainage area infusion/injection of both phorbol ester and calcium ionophore are quite similar to those encountered in this sheep lymphocyte traffic model following popliteal lymph node drainage area immunization with killed Salmonella muenchen antigen.

Animals↗

Hemorrhagic shock induced up-regulation of P-selectin expression is mediated by factors in mesenteric lymph and blunted by mesenteric lymph duct interruption.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that mesenteric lymph duct interruption prevents lung injury and decreases lung neutrophil sequestration after hemorrhagic shock (HS). Since endothelial cells rapidly express P-selectin after ischemia/reperfusion injury and HS-induced lung injury appears to involve neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions, we tested the following two hypotheses. First, that HS increases endothelial cell P-selectin expression and that interruption of mesenteric lymph flow in vivo would diminish this expression. Second, that incubation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with post-HS mesenteric lymph but not sham shock (SS) lymph or postshock portal vein plasma would up-regulate P-selectin expression. METHODS: Pulmonary microvascular P-selectin expression was measured in male rats subjected to 90 minutes of HS (30 mm Hg), SS, or HS with lymphatic ligation, with a dual radiolabeled monoclonal antibody technique. The lungs from these animals were subsequently harvested and P-selectin expression was expressed as mean +/- SEM nanograms of monoclonal antibody per gram of tissue. RESULTS: Pulmonary P-selectin expression was 2.0 +/- 0.4 after SS, 9.7 +/- 3.0 after HS, but decreased to 2.3 +/- 0.3 after HS with lymph interruption (p < 0.05 HS vs. SS or HS plus lymph ligation). Incubation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with shock lymph collected 3 to 4 hours after shock resulted in a nearly fivefold increase in P-selectin expression (p < 0.001) as compared with SS lymph, lymph collected 6 hours after shock, or postshock portal vein plasma. CONCLUSION: These results support the concept that gut-derived lymph promotes HS-induced lung injury through up-regulation of microvascular adhesion molecules and that intestinal lymph duct interruption may prevent distant organ injury by blunting the expression of these molecules.

Animals↗

Higher dopamine level in lymph from the cervical lymph trunk than in plasma following intravenous bolus injection of L-dopa in rats.

To clarify the mechanism(s) responsible for nausea and vomiting induced by L-dopa administration, dopamine levels in the plasma and lymph of rats were investigated in the 60-min period following an intravenous bolus of L-dopa (2.5 mg/kg body weight). The dopamine level in plasma from the femoral artery was the highest at 5 min immediately after the L-dopa injection, and was eliminated thereafter. Showing the same tendency as the plasma, the lymph from the thoracic duct showed a maximal increase of dopamine at 0 to 10 min, and a rapid decrease later. In contrast, the dopamine level in the lymph from the cervical lymph trunk increased, peaked at 10 to 20 min, and fell gradually thereafter. The dopamine level in the cervical lymph was higher than that in the thoracic lymph. When these data were kinetically analyzed, the cervical lymph had a larger area under the dopamine concentration-time curve than the thoracic lymph. Both the cervical lymph and the thoracic lymph had longer values of dopamine mean residence time than the plasma. Our findings revealed that when L-dopa was administered with an intravenous bolus, dopamine was higher and remained longer in the cervical lymph than in the rest of the body.

Animals↗

Topography of the major superficial lymph nodes and their efferent lymph pathways in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

The koala has an inguinoaxillary lymph trunk on either side of the ventral midline, and this carries efferent lymph from the superficial inguinal lymph node directly to the deep axillary lymph node. The superficial lymph nodes are large and soft compared with those of the domestic species, and each lymph centre usually contains only one or two large lymph nodes. Koalas have a rostral mandibular lymph node which has not been described in other species, but lack popliteal and subiliac lymph nodes. The superficial lymph nodes which are readily palpable in the live koala are the facial, rostral mandibular, mandibular, superficial axillary and superficial inguinal. All superficial lymph pathways terminate at the confluence of the common jugular and subclavian veins.

Animals↗

Studies on hepatobiliary lymph flow with radioactive colloid--for lymph node metastasis resection of carcinoma of the bifurcation of hepatic duct.

Hepatobiliary lymphoscintigraphy by Technetium 99m-rhenium colloid (99mTc-Re colloid) using a fine needle guided by ultrasonography was performed on 12 patients who underwent resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament lymph nodes. Histological examination revealed no lymph node metastasis in 8 patients. In 4 patients in whom 99mTc-Re colloid was injected into the left medial inferior hepatic segment, periarterial lymph nodes showed higher isotope uptake count than periductal nodes, and lymph nodes around the common hepatic artery revealed higher values than superior posterior pancreatoduodenal nodes. On the contrary, in 3 patients in whom the isotope was injected into the right anterior inferior segment, periductal lymph nodes had higher values than periarterial nodes, and superior posterior pancreatoduodenal lymph nodes showed higher values than those around the common hepatic artery. In one patient in whom the isotope was injected into both right and left segments, superior posterior pancreatoduodenal lymph nodes showed similar values to those around the common hepatic artery. Periportal lymph nodes tended to have values between those of periarterial and periductal ones. Lymph node metastases were confirmed in 4 patients in whom the relationships mentioned above was not always observed, and periportal lymph nodes showed the highest values among the three.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Factors predictive of having four or more positive axillary lymph nodes in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes: implications for selection of radiation fields.

PURPOSE: The optimal design of radiation fields for patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) who do not undergo axillary dissection is unknown. We have previously shown that modified breast tangent fields can include most axillary Level I-II lymph nodes. We have also reported that irradiation of the axillary apex/supraclavicular fossa is indicated for patients with four or more positive axillary lymph nodes. To determine the optimal arrangement for patients with positive SLNs, we studied what factors predicted for having four or more positive lymph nodes. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We reviewed the records of 339 consecutive patients with one to three positive SLNs who underwent complete axillary dissection at our institution between 1995 and 2002. We separately analyzed the outcome for those initially treated with surgery (n = 265) and those receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 74). A logistic regression model was used to identify independent factors predictive for four or more positive lymph nodes. RESULTS: A total of 28 of 265 patients in the initial surgery group and 20 of 74 patients in the neoadjuvant group had four or more positive lymph nodes. In the initial surgery group, the independent factors associated with four or more positive lymph nodes were no drainage seen on lymphoscintigraphy (rate, 38%, odds ratio [OR] = 5.4, p = 0.03), more than one positive SLN (rate, 24-42%, OR = 2.9, p = 0.02), and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI; rate, 25%, OR = 4.8, p = 0.01). Of the 106 patients without any of these factors, only 2 had four or more positive lymph nodes. For the patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the independent factors were clinical Stage III (rate, 48%, OR = 3.1, p = 0.03), more than one positive SLN (rate, 37-67%, OR = 4.8, p = 0.03), and LVSI (rate, 62%, OR = 8.1, p = 0.02). Of the 28 patients without any of these factors, only 1 had four or more positive lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: It is reasonable to treat with modified tangents fields that include most axillary Level I-II nodes for patients with one positive SLN who do not undergo axillary dissection if drainage is seen on lymphoscintigraphy and no LVSI is present. This approach is also reasonable for patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy who have Stage II disease, no LVSI, and only one positive SLN. The remaining patients have a greater risk of having four or more positive lymph nodes, and, therefore, the high axilla/supraclavicular fossa should also be included in the radiation fields.

Adult↗

In vivo identification of sentinel lymph nodes for clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer for abbreviation of mediastinal lymph node dissection.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that an identification of sentinel lymph node (SN) with a techenetium-99m (99mTc) tin colloid by ex vivo counting, i.e. the radio-activity of dissected lymph nodes, was a reliable method of establishing the first site of nodal metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer [J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 124(2002)486]. However, for SN navigation surgery, SN should be identified before lymph node dissection (in vivo) but not after that (ex vivo). In order to reduce mediastinal lymph node dissection for clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by SN navigation surgery, the SN identifications for hilar lymph nodes by ex vivo counting, and for mediastinal lymph nodes by in vivo, were evaluated. METHODS: Intra-operative SN identification using 99mTc tin colloid was conducted on 104 patients with clinical stage I NSCLC who had had major lung resections with mediastinal lymph node dissections. The hilar SNs were identified by ex vivo counting (after lung resection) and the mediastinal SNs were identified by in vivo counting (before lymph node dissection). To evaluate the accuracy of mediastinal SN identification by in vivo counting, it was compared with the data by ex vivo counting. RESULTS: SNs were identified in 84 patients (81%). SNs were identified at the hilum by ex vivo counting in 78 patients (93%) and at the mediastinum by in vivo counting in 40 patients (48%). While 15 patients had lymph node metastases, i.e. N1 in six and N2 in nine, the SNs could be found to have metastases during operation in 13 of the 15 patients (87%). The in vivo counting of the mediastinum missed out the mediastinal SNs identified by ex vivo counting in four of the 84 patients (5%). CONCLUSION: If the hilar SNs identified by ex vivo counting and the mediastinal SNs identified by in vivo counting had no metastases, then mediastinal lymph node dissection could be abbreviated for patients with clinical stage I NSCLC.

Aged↗

Lymph flow and lymph protein concentration in the skin and muscle of the rabbit hind limb.

1. Three lymphatic beds have been found in the rabbit hind limb:(i) the lymph from the foot and ankle drains into lymphatics which run with the deep veins to the popliteal node;(ii) the superficial lymphatics of the medial skin from mid-calf to the groin enter the inguinal node while those of the lateral skin drain into the popliteal node;(iii) the lymph draining the muscles collects in vessels which do not enter the popliteal node but join the femoral lymphatic post-nodally.2. The lymphatic system of the hind limb is regionalized so that lymph from a specific area enters the popliteal node in one specific lobe and no other.3. By cannulating the femoral lymphatic and ligating the post-nodal lymph vessel close to the point at which it leaves the node it was possible to collect pure muscle lymph.4. The mean muscle lymph flow was 21 mul./100 g.min whilst the skin lymph flow was 240 mul./100 g.min. The mean protein concentration of muscle lymph was usually somewhat higher than that of skin lymph.5. After nerve stimulation there was an increase in muscle lymph flow but no increase in protein concentration.6. After a mild thermal injury there was no change in muscle lymph flow or its protein concentration, but there was an enormous increase in the leakage of lactic dehydrogenase indicating considerable cellular injury. On the other hand a significant increase in both protein concentration and flow of skin lymph occurred after thermal injury.

Animals↗

Bacteriologic studies of skin, tissue fluid, lymph, and lymph nodes in patients with filarial lymphedema.

Filarial lymphedema is complicated by frequent episodes of dermatolymphangioadenitis (DLA). It is not certain whether DLA is of filarial or bacterial etiology. The frequency of episodic DLA does not depend on the presence or absence of microfilariae. Antibiotic therapy is effective in prevention and treatment of DLA. These observations point to the bacterial rather than filarial etiology of DLA. Skin and lymph node biopsies, tissue fluid, lymph, and blood from patients with chronic filarial lymphedema, and during acute episodes of DLA, were cultured for detection of bacteria. A high prevalence of bacterial isolates from the tissue fluid (64%), lymph (75%), and inguinal lymph nodes (66%) of limbs with filarial lymphedema was found. Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. hominis, S. capitis, S. xylosus, and Micrococcus spp. were the most common isolates. Bacteria were also isolated from the blood of patients with recent episodes of DLA, with strains of the same phenotype and antibiotic sensitivity in all specimens from patients with DLA. Bacterial strains of the same phenotype and antibiotic sensitivity were documented on the toe web surface and in tissue fluid (25%), lymph (26%), or lymph nodes (41%). Increasing prevalence of bacterial isolates in tissue fluid, lymph, and lymph nodes was observed in advanced stages of lymphedema. Bacilli and cocci were sensitive to gentamicin, tetracyline, rifampicin, vancomycin, kanamycin and cotrimoxazole, and least sensitive to penicillin. Blood cultures of patients in the periods between DLA attacks were negative. In healthy controls without edema and episodes of DLA, tissue fluid did not contain bacteria. In lymph, only single colonies of Micrococcus and Acinetobacter were cultured in 12% of the cases. Impaired lymph drainage and lack of elimination of penetrating bacteria may be responsible for progression of lymphedema and recurrent attacks of DLA.

Adolescent↗