Human health and medicine

LVAD therapy

LVAD therapy is a treatment for advanced heart failure in which an implanted mechanical pump moves blood from the weakened left ventricle into the aorta, used as a bridge to transplant or lifelong support.

LX101, RPE65 AAV gene therapy for inherited retinal dystrophy

LX101 (LX-101), Innostellar Biotherapeutics' rAAV2-RPE65 subretinal gene therapy for biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated inherited retinal dystrophy; phase 3 STAR trial in China, commercialization rights held by Golden Age Health.

Lyme carditis

Lyme carditis, heart inflammation from Borrelia burgdorferi in Lyme disease, causing fluctuating atrioventricular block; treated with oral or IV antibiotics, usually resolving in 1–6 weeks.

Lyme neuroborreliosis

Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is nervous system infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, affecting 3–15% of European Lyme cases; diagnosis requires CSF pleocytosis and intrathecal antibody index, treated with 14 days of antibiotics.

Lymecycline

Lymecycline (Tetralysal 300) is a second-generation semisynthetic tetracycline antibiotic, ATC J01AA04, first approved 1963; 408 mg capsule equals 300 mg tetracycline base, used mainly for acne.

Lymph

Lymph, or lymphatic fluid, is the clear fluid formed from blood plasma filtrate that drains through lymphatic vessels and nodes, returning 2–3 L of fluid daily and carrying immune cells; discovered as a system by Rudbeck and Bartholin in the 1650s.

Lymph node

A lymph node, also called a lymph gland, is a small bean-shaped organ of the lymphatic system that filters lymph and helps the immune system respond to infection.

Lymph node biopsy

A lymph node biopsy removes all or part of a lymph node, by needle or surgery, so the tissue can be examined to diagnose cancer, infection, and other nodal disease.

Lymph node dissection

Lymph node dissection, also known as lymphadenectomy, is oncologic surgery removing lymph nodes from a tumor-draining basin to stage or treat cancer, most often in the axilla, groin, neck, or retroperitoneum.

Lymph node mapping

Lymph node mapping is a surgical and imaging technique that identifies the first lymph node draining a tumor, guiding biopsy and staging in breast cancer and melanoma.

Lymph node resection

Lymph node resection, called lymphadenectomy or lymph node dissection, is surgery removing lymph nodes to diagnose, stage, or treat cancer, commonly in the axilla, groin, neck, or retroperitoneum.

Lymph node sampling

Lymph node sampling removes lymph node tissue to obtain a histopathologic diagnosis and assign a TNM nodal (N) stage, most often for staging lung and breast cancer.

Lymph trunks and the right lymphatic duct

The lymph trunks are large collecting vessels formed by converging lymphatic vessels, and the right lymphatic duct returns lymph from the body's right upper quadrant to the veins.

Lymphadenectomy

Lymphadenectomy, also called lymph node dissection, is surgery to remove regional lymph nodes, performed mainly to stage cancer. Common sites include the axilla, groin, neck, and retroperitoneum.

Lymphadenitis

Lymphadenitis (lymph node infection, lymph gland infection) is inflammation and enlargement of lymph nodes, usually from bacterial infection such as Staphylococcus or Streptococcus; ICD-11 code BD90.

Lymphadenopathy

Lymphadenopathy, also called swollen lymph nodes or adenopathy, is abnormal enlargement of lymph nodes, usually >1 cm. Most causes are infectious, inflammatory, or malignant; evaluation is clinical, with ultrasound first-line imaging in children and core needle biopsy preferred for tissue sampling.

Lymphangiectasia

Lymphangiectasia, pathologic dilation of lymphatic vessels, primary (congenital) or secondary (obstructed). Intestinal form is Waldmann's disease: hypoalbuminemia, lymphopenia, edema; treated with fat-free diet and MCT.

Lymphangiogenesis

Lymphangiogenesis is the formation of new lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones through lymphatic endothelial cell growth, regulated by VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling, and linked to lymphedema and cancer spread to lymph nodes.

Lymphangiography

Lymphangiography is an imaging procedure that opacifies lymphatic vessels and nodes by injecting contrast agent directly into the lymphatic system, used to diagnose and treat lymphatic leaks and obstruction.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM, lymphangiomyomatosis) is a rare cystic lung disease almost exclusively affecting women, caused by TSC1/TSC2 mutations, treated with sirolimus, and sometimes requiring lung transplantation.

Lymphangiomatosis

Lymphangiomatosis, now called generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA) within complex lymphatic anomalies, is a rare congenital disorder of proliferating lymphatic vessels affecting bones, lungs, spleen, and other organs, treated with sirolimus.

Lymphangion

Lymphangion: the valved, smooth-muscle segment between two intraluminal valves in collecting lymphatic vessels; the functional pumping unit, or "primitive heart", that propels lymph, regulated by preload, afterload, frequency, and contractility.

Lymphangitis

Lymphangitis, also called inflamed lymph vessels or acute lymphangitis, is infection of peripheral lymphatic channels, usually streptococcal or filarial, marked by red tender streaks toward swollen nodes, diagnosed clinically, and treated with antistreptococcal antibiotics.

Lymphangitis carcinomatosa

Lymphangitis carcinomatosa (lymphangitic carcinomatosis, carcinomatous lymphangitis): cancer cells infiltrating and blocking lymphatic vessels, usually pulmonary. Common with breast, lung, gastric cancers; severe dyspnea; poor prognosis.

Lymphatic capillary

Lymphatic capillary, or initial lymphatic: blind-ended ~50 µm microvessel with oak-leaf endothelial cells, button junctions, and anchoring filaments that absorbs interstitial fluid, immune cells, and chylomicrons to form lymph.

Lymphatic disorders

Lymphatic disorders are diseases that alter the structure or function of lymphatic vessels and nodes, causing lymphedema, lymphangitis, and lymphadenopathy; over 200 million people have lymphedema worldwide.

Lymphatic filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), a mosquito-borne neglected tropical disease caused by Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori worms; 657 million people in 39 countries need preventive chemotherapy, and 21 countries are validated as eliminating it.

Lymphatic Irradiation

Lymphatic irradiation (lymphoid irradiation, total lymphoid irradiation, TLI): radiotherapy to lymphatic tissues for Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph node metastases, and autoimmune disease, evolved from mantle and inverted-Y fields to 20-30 Gy involved-site fields.

Lymphatic mapping

Lymphatic mapping is a surgical and imaging technique that traces lymphatic drainage from a tumor to its first receiving lymph nodes, the sentinel nodes, using tracers injected near the tumor.