Elephantiasis is a rare lymphatic disease that mainly occurs in emerging countries. It is characterized by massive swelling of the patient's extremities. You can find out below which doctor treats elephantiasis and what the therapy looks like.
Elephantiasis, also known as elephant disease, is a formidable disease. It occurs more frequently in developing countries than in industrialized nations. A build-up of lymph fluid, which can be either congenital or acquired, causes various parts of the body to swell extremely. The legs and male genitals are particularly frequently affected.
A distinction is made between the congenital and acquired form of elephantiasis. The congenital form is very rare, the acquired form can be caused by pathogens or typical diseases of civilized countries(obesity, diabetes mellitus, venous thrombosis).
The diseases can destroy or block lymphatic channels and thus cause a lack of drainage of the lymph fluid. This leads to so-called lymphatic swelling, also known as lymphoedema.
The congenital form occurs as early as infancy with severe swelling of the arms or legs. In this case, the lymph vessels are not positioned correctly. Other congenital causes are extensive malformation syndromes such as neurofibromatosis. Here, the vascular system is affected, as well as other tissues such as the brain or skin.
Acquired forms include increasing destruction of the lymphatic vessels, which can occur, for example, as a result of chronic inflammation of the leg veins or the skin of the lower leg(erysipelas). An increased tendency to blood clotting, previous leg vein thrombosis or diabetes mellitus can be the cause.
The characteristic clinical appearance is swelling of the leg, also known as lymphoedema. In the early stages, the lymphoedema may subside, but as it becomes more pronounced, the swelling may become permanent. The final stage of lymphoedema with maximum severity is called elephantiasis by doctors. Here the swelling is massive and can no longer be reversed (medically irreversible).
The acquired forms also include a tropical disease that primarily occurs in developing countries. Pathogens are responsible for this, namely infection with threadworms (filariae). These are transmitted by mosquitoes and the disease is also known among doctors as "lymphatic filariasis" (lymphatic = affecting the lymphatic system, filariasis = infection with filariae) .
The worms or bacteria enter the human organism via insect bites, where they penetrate the lymphatic system. This is followed by various inflammatory reactions that block the lymphatic fluid. Herpes viruses can also obstruct or completely destroy the lymph vessels as part of a weakened immune system.
The eggs of the worms are also transmitted from person to person by mosquitoes.
As elephantiasis is transmitted by mosquitoes and these are widespread in developing countries, anyone can in principle contract this disease. However, wearing long clothing in the evening and taking prophylaxis against mosquito bites with appropriate ointments or sprays can protect against mosquito bites. However, there is currently no vaccination against elephantiasis.
Elephantiasis is usually diagnosed on the basis of physical examination findings alone. The swelling of the affected areas of the body is usually very impressive. The diagnosis of congenital elephantiasis is also generally easy to make, as the disease typically occurs in infancy or childhood.
However, further examinations must be carried out to determine the cause of acquired elephantiasis. The main focus here is also on the medical history. For example, previous thromboses of the leg veins or infections of the legs are important and are always asked about, as are trips to tropical countries.
Instrumental examinations, i.e. diagnostics with devices, include
should be mentioned. In order to diagnose infections more precisely, bacterial smears must also be taken.
Elephantiasis is a chronic condition that is not easy to cure. Elephantiasis is only contagious in the tropics, not in our latitudes. Nevertheless, it is important to treat concomitant infections of the soft tissues that can result from the chronic swelling. These include moist compresses with germ-killing fluids and the administration of antibiotics. In severe cases, it may also be necessary to undergo antibiotic therapy and infection treatment in hospital and inpatient conditions.
Other measures include manual lymphatic drainage and compression treatment to reduce swelling. Lymphatic drainage involves massaging the tissue, so to speak, and stimulating the removal of lymphatic fluid. However, caution is advised with larger wounds, as the focus here is first and foremost on healing the wound. Finally, compression bandages or compression stockings or tights can help to reduce the symptoms and swelling.
If the wounds do not heal on their own or are very deep or heavily covered, they should be cleaned surgically. If necessary, a plastic surgeon can tighten the skin together with the subcutaneous tissue, but not completely restore it to its pre-illness state.
In extreme cases, amputation of the affected limb may be necessary if there is a risk of blood poisoning or if the condition is constantly worsening. Fortunately, however, this is an absolute rarity.
It is also possible to replace or bridge lymphatic vessels. However, as lymphatic vessels are not visible to the naked eye, these are so-called microsurgical procedures, which must always be performed with magnifying glasses or a microscope. They are technically very demanding and the openness rates of these so-called lymph vessel transplants are very low.
Only a few clinics in Germany offer this operation, which is usually performed by plastic surgeons at university institutions. You may therefore have to expect a longer journey. In addition, every operation has its risks, so the pros and cons must be carefully weighed up.
As with many chronic diseases, early diagnosis of elephantiasis is the best protection against a severe form of the disease that doctors can no longer improve. See a doctor at the first sign of lymph congestion. Especially if you have previously spent time in the tropics or suffer from an underlying disease that can damage the lymphatic system.
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