Applied Lymphology : Basics | Daily practice | Perspectives

Lymphological diseases are common, but diagnosis and treatment are often difficult. In everyday clinical practice, insufficient attention has usually been paid to such diseases, partly because curative treatments have been lacking until now. The development of new diagnostic and surgical therapeutic procedures makes it possible to achieve a cure for some patients and spare them decades of symptomatic therapy. Editors, authors and the two commentators, Peter S. Mortimer and Christian Schuchhardt, present relevant lymphological principles and clinical pictures, including rare diseases. This guide to everyday lymphological practice, a "Vademecum Lymphologicum", is aimed equally at "novices and adepts". It is focussed on the practical implementation of diagnosis as well as patient consultation and care: Basics of lymphology, "From symptom to diagnosis", comprehensive clinic from a fundamental and specialised perspective, conservative and surgical therapy, social medicine, assessment as well as advice on therapy support through sport and nutrition for lymph patients are concluded with an outlook into the scientific future of lymphology. Each article opens with a "tip from the editors" and ends with "What is important to know about lymphology?". The book is aimed at medical and non-medical professionals who see and treat patients with lymphological conditions.

The basis of the English translation of this book, originally in German, was facilitated by artificial intelligence. The content was later thoroughly updated, enhanced and revised by the authors for accuracy.

Prof. hon. (Univ. Puebla) Dr. Manuel E. Cornely

Manuel Eugen Cornely was born in Cologne in 1957, grew up there and passed his A-levels in Kerpen in 1978. 1978, he began studying philosophy and medicine at the University of Cologne. In April 1987, he passed the state exams in philosophy, German studies and education. His philosophy teacher was the political philosopher Prof. Dr. phil. Ernst Vollrath, who had been mainly concerned with the works of Hannah Arendt since the early 1970s, developed a theory of the political on this basis. Cornely successfully submitted a state examination paper on medicine and politics to him: “Medizin und Politik. Zur gemeinsamen Methode im 17. Jahrhundert“. [’ Medicine and Politics. On the common method in the 17th century’].In 1991, he received his medical licence. He began his professional career at the St. Katharinen Hospital in Frechen as a ward physician specialising in septic surgery and wound healing. In 1992, he continued his training to become a specialist in dermatology and venerology under his medical teacher, Prof. Dr. med. Dieter Lübbe and Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Marsch at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Skin Diseases at the Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale). He was awarded his doctorate in Cologne in 1995. He wrote his medical-historical dissertation on the founder of the Chair of Internal Medicine I at the University of Cologne under the supervision of Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Marielene Putscher, entitled ‘Friedrich Moritz, Physician and Teacher. The Legacy in Halle.’ In 1997, he obtained the qualifications of a specialist in dermatology and venereology and the additional qualification of a phlebologist. He set up his practice in Düsseldorf and later in Cologne as a dermatologist specialising in ‘Conservative and surgical lymphology’. His years of lymphological teaching and consulting work at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) in Mexico led to his honorary professorship in 2006. As early as 1997, he developed ‘Lymphological Liposculpture according to Cornely’ for the surgical treatment of lipohyperplasia dolorosa (LiDo) and secondary and primary lymphedema.

In 1997, he founded the Professional Association of Lymphologists (BVL) to promote medical training in lymphology and, as founding president and president until 2008, was responsible for establishing further medical training according to the ‘Curriculum Lymphological Further Training’ programme Convent C (BVL). In 2001, he served as Vice President of the Association of Cologne Dermatologists, in 2005 as Secretary General of the German Society for Dermatological Surgery and Aesthetics (DGDA), and in 2009 as Special Advisor for Lymphology of the Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD). In 2013, he founded, managed, and developed the ‘Fachklinik für operative Lymphologie CG LYMPHA GmbH’ in Cologne, the largest of its kind in the world. He retired as its founder and medical director in 2024. In 2017, he also founded the lymphology research institute LY.SEARCH in Düsseldorf, where he is the scientific director. Since 2024, he has been focusing his medical practice on this institute for lymphology., He diagnoses and treats lymphology patients in this internationally networked practice. He is currently involved in the LIPLEG study, the ‘QST-LiDo study’ to research the pain phenomenon in lipohyperplasia dolorosa (LiDo) – in particular to validate the PVTH score – the ‘HDBA-LiDo study’ to develop a therapy algorithm for combining obesity and lipoedema, and in the application and dissemination of a specific documentation tool, the ‘LF PST’ questionnaire, with which LY.SEARCH provides an international, web-based, free tool for recording patients' clinical picture and quality of life with lipohyperplasia dolorosa. Since 2015, he has worked on the current AWMF guidelines on ‘Lipoedema’. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences, promotes the interdisciplinary exchange of information between renowned specialists and scientists on lymphology topics, and has been organising the ‘Plenum Lymphologicum’ at the Hotel Dreesen, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, every year since 2017.

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Christian Marsch,

Wolfgang Christian Marsch was born in 1949 in Halle (Saale), grew up in West Berlin and graduated from high school in 1968 at the Georg-Herwegh-Gymnasium in Berlin-Hermsdorf. He began his studies in chemistry at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel in the summer semester of 1968 with the career aspiration of becoming a biochemist. Nonetheless, he switched to medicine in the 2nd semester. After passing the preliminary examination, he studied the clinical section at the University of Saarland in Homburg (Saar) and the Free University of Berlin (state examination there in 1975). This was followed by medical assistantships in Berlin and at the Hannover Medical School. He received his doctorate in pathology with a thesis on general pathological aspects of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Morbus Waldenström, and plasmacytoma pathology in 1976, with a thesis on general pathological aspects of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Morbus Waldenström, and plasmacytoma, from the Free University (FU) Berlin.

1976–1985 University Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Asthma Clinic of the FU Berlin at the Rudolf Virchow Hospital under Prof. Dr. Günter Stüttgen and Prof. Dr. Friedrich Nürnberger. Recognitions as a specialist in dermatology and venereology and additional qualifications in allergology and dermatopathology followed. In 1984, he habilitated with the topic: "Morphology of the blood and lymphatic system in skin diseases. A light and electron microscopic examination". His methodological research focus was the "Ultrastructure of the skin", including the first description of lymph thromboses. 1985–1993 Senior Consultant at the Center for Dermatology and Venereology of the J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. There, he accepted a C3 professorship for six years. In November 1993, he was appointed C4 professor and clinic director of the University Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Halle. In 2011, he was awarded the medical faculty's first teaching prize by the students' decision. He retired there in 2015. Afterwards, he worked for three years as a dermatohistologist in the "Pathodiagnostik Berlin" with Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c. Harald Stein and now in Berlin-Wilmersdorf at the "Institute for Pathology and Dermatohistology" with Dr. Irina Waigandt. In August 2021, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Dr. R. Haseloff, the Federal President Dr. F.-W. Steinmeier awarded him the Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his "outstanding services in the fields of medicine and research."

Ao.Univ.Prof. Dr. Erich Brenner, MME(Bern)

Erich Brenner was born in 1965 in Salzburg and completed his schooling there.  After passing his maturity examination, Brenner moved to Innsbruck in 1983 to study medicine at the Leopold-Franzens-University. He completed his medical studies in June 1990 with an anatomical dissertation, "On the Morphology of the medial cuneiform bone". In early October 1990, he took a position as a resident at the Institute of Anatomy of the Leopold-Franzens University. He completed his training as a specialist in anatomy in 1996. In March 2002, he received a "Master of Medical Education" at the University of Bern, Switzerland, with the master's thesis "Curriculum for continuous lymphological education". Brenner achieved his habilitation for anatomy in October 2003 at the Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck with the habilitation thesis "Morphological examinations on the foot with special consideration of the Hallux valgus".

Since 2004, Brenner has been an extraordinary university professor of anatomy at the now Medical University of Innsbruck. From November 2013 to September 2017, he served as full professor and director of the Section for Clinical-Functional Anatomy of the Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology. Brenner's leading research focuses on the functional anatomy of the musculoskeletal system and the morphology and function of blood and lymph vessels. He is also involved in medical education and continuous training in developing and evaluating medical curricula and the medical examination system. Brenner is the author of more than 160 original and review papers and over 25 chapters and books. In 2009, Brenner received the Peregrini Promotion Prize from the Austrian Society for Phlebology and Dermatological Angiology for the publication "Venous valves and major superficial tributary veins near the saphenofemoral junction" (J Vasc Surg 2009 49:1562-1569). Brenner was editor-in-chief of the journal "Lymphologie in Forschung und Praxis" and co-editor of the journals "Annals of Anatomy" and "European Journal of Anatomy". Now, he is co-editor of the journal "Phlebologie". Brenner is a member of the following societies (selection): American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, American Association of Clinical Anatomists, Anatomische Gesellschaft, Trans-European Pedagogic Anatomical Research Group (Vice-President), New York Academy of Sciences, German Society for Phlebology, Society for Manual Lymph Drainage according to Dr. Vodder (President).