Introduction
The lymphatic system was first described by Erasistratus in Alexandria
more than 2000 years ago. However, the anatomy was not described in detail until
the seventeenth century and William Hunter, in the late eighteenth century, was
the first to describe the function of the lymphatic system as we now understand
it. Starling’s pioneering work on the hydrostatic and haemodynamic forces
controlling the movement of fluid across the capillary provided further insights
into the function of the lymphatics. In the past two decades this knowledge has
been further refined through the application of advanced in vivo microscopic
techniques and the advances in molecular biology. Nevertheless, there is much
about the lymphatic system that is not yet understood and debate continues over
the precise aetiology of the commonest abnormality of the system; namely,
lymphoedema.