[libribook.com] Traumatic Scar Tissue Management 1st Edition

CHAPTER 3
The lymphatic system
‘Milk me’
Client statement upon entering the clinic room ready for her second
Manual Lymph Drainage session
The lymphatic system is a lesser known yet important system of the body that
chugs along, quietly assisting the blood vascular and immune systems. In brief,
it is a low pressure, pump-less system that transports lymphatic fluid (lymph).
Lymph is formed in the digestive system and is taken up by the specialized
lymph vessels known as lacteals (Choi et al. 2012). When functioning normally,
it is the squeeze–release action of the skeletal muscles and the changes in
pressure during breathing that pushes or ‘milks’ the lymph toward its destination
(Marieb 2003).
While the blood vascular system has been studied extensively, the lymphatic
system has had little scientific and medical attention, likely due to its elusive
morphology and mysterious pathophysiology. Over the past decade a number of
new studies have begun to change the misconception that the lymphatic system
is secondary to the more essential blood vascular system and, indeed,
substantiate the view that the lymphatic system is an integral and equal partner
in supporting homeostasis, immunity, and wound healing (Choi et al. 2012).
Utilizing the information that is currently available, the aim of this chapter is to
provide a solid understanding of the lymphatic system. Particular relevance to
this book is the lymphatic system’s role in creating a favorable environment for
wound healing and healthy scar formation and the consequences associated with
impaired lymphatic function (Marieb 2003).