WORLD ELEPHANTIASIS DAY 2020 – Lymphostatic Elephantiasis - Lymphatic Filariasis & Podoconiosis - Pediatric & Primary Lymphoedema - Secondary Lymphoedema - Rare Disease - Awareness Day Campaign

A DAY FOR VINDICATION, MARCH 12, WORLD ELEPHANTIASIS DAY

March is recognized worldwide, as the Month to highlight Lymphedema, its most severe late-stage III is known as “elephantiasis”. Lymphostatic Elephantiasis is not only located in poor or developing countries, but also can be found in European and high-tech western nations. The medical term elephantiasis is used to identify a part of the body, which has undergone progressive deformity and trophic skin changes as a result of chronic lymphedema. Throughout the world, the lack of treatment or under-treatment of lymphedema makes elephantiasis a condition that is still present today.

Lymphedema (elephantiasis) is not a rare disease but a major public health problem, and it is necessary to sensitize governments and international health organizations, that access to treatment for lymphedema and lymphatic diseases should be a global priority. Up to 10 million Americans may be affected by lymphoedema, and it's estimated that over 250 million people worldwide suffer from the disease, creating pain, swelling, discomfort, disability, and suffering for patients of all ages, including children. The only way to avoid elephantiasis (final tage III lymphedema) is to provide early and preventive therapy and compression garments necessary for lymphatic disorders. Read more about why the world is not treating a treatable disease like elephantiasis HERE.

Elephantiasis is one of the world's most disfiguring, disabling, and life-threatening conditions. Worldwide millions of people suffer from lymphatic dysfunction, be it due to Primary Lymphoedema or Secondary Lymphoedema due to filariasis, podoconiosis, chronic venous insufficiency, cancer, trauma, radiation, infection, surgery, etc. Elephantiasis (final Stage III lymphoedema) can be found in all countries and settings, and is nearly always the result of non-treatment or undertreatment of incipient lymphatic edema.

There is a safe and effective treatment for lymphatic edema, which helps to retain and maintain the progression of the disease towards its severe late stages. The best treatment for lymphoedema is CDT (Complete Decongestive Therapy), it is considered “Gold Standard” conservative treatment for the reduction of limb volume. This specialized treatment consists of MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) and Multi-layered bandage wrapping conducted by specialized physiotherapists, as well as other components such as skincare, diet, and exercises. Read more about the best treatment for lymphatic edema HERE.

The Conservative Treatment is indicated for all edema stages including stage III, and as preventive treatment which will avoid the initial progression towards elephantiasis. Radical reductive ablative surgery, aimed to remove the diseased skin and subcutaneous tissue, should always be the last option, for it is associated with significant blood loss, morbidity, infections, permanent disfigurement, and recurrence of symptoms.

Elephantiasis is preventable in the majority of cases, if the underlying cause which is lymphoedema, is treated in its initial mild stages. In the case of lymphatic filariasis (LF), it is recognized that in many cases it is first acquired in childhood, often as many as one-third of children are infected before age 5. This fact needs urgent implications by international health organizations and public health systems, for prevention campaigns and management of this childhood illness. The cornerstone for the PREVENTION of elephantiasis is compression treatment of initial mild stage I lymphedema, as well as to reduce the incidence of dermato-lymphangio-adenitis (infectious cellulitis) and Lymphangitis, which are the cause of the subsequent worsening of the condition. Read more about DLA (dermatolymphangioadentitis) in lymphedema HERE.

Apart from the patient daily basic self-care needed, consisting of washing of limbs and skin moisturizing, they also need to wear compression garments throughout the day. Without compression technologies, it is impossible to retain the progression of lymphatic edema. Wearable compression garments are the only means by which a person can carry out their daily activities. Basic self-care alone without compression is not enough by itself to control the disease, and will not stop the progression towards elephantiasis. Read more about the best treatment for elephantiasis HERE. 

International awareness campaigns are needed for access to compression therapy and garments for patients diagnosed with chronic lymphoedema, many of them children, since this is the only possible way to stop the progression of the disease. Elephantiasis is a treatable condition, but it will never be eradicated from the world as long as there is non-treatment or under-treatment of lymphatic dysfunction.

REFERENCES

• GERMAN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY GUIDELINE: Diagnostics and Therapy of Lymphoedema.
• THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF LYMPHOLOGY: Consensus Document.
• Lymphatic Medicine: Paradoxically and Unnecessarily Ignored
• The risk of genital edema after external pump compression.
• Lymphatic Filariasis: An infection of childhood

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• FOCUS ON THE TERM ELEPHANTIASIS AND IT´S IMPLICATIONS FOR LYMPHOEDEMA 

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• INTERMITTENT PNEUMATIC COMPRESSION (IPC) PUMP DEVICES. SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS POR LYMPHEDEMA

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• WHAT IS PHLEBOLYMPHEDEMA.

• SPANISH LYMPHEDEMA ASSOCIATIONS – UPDATED LIST – PATIENT LYMPHEDEMA ASSOCIATIONS OF SPAIN – SPANISH NATIONAL FEDERATION OF LYMPHEDEMA ASSOCIATIONS

LYHMPHEDEMA INCIDENCE 

AND PREVALENCE

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CAMPAIGN 

For global awareness it is being asked that the 

WHO - WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 

name: 

"LYMPHEDEMA - AWARENESS & CURES"

as the World Health Day campaign 

  

  KATHY BATES

LYMPHEDEMA EMBASSADOR

SIGN THE PETITION HERE