Thoracic duct drainage in the treatment of systemic scleroderma is a surgical method used to insert the silicone tube cervical thoracic duct, silicone tube remote access via subcutaneous leads drainage bottle.
     Systemic scleroderma is a systemic connective tissue disease pathogenesis of systemic scleroderma, most now that the disease may be an autoimmune disease. There are a variety of autoantibodies in the serum of patients. In untreated patients with systemic sclerosis, peripheral lymphoid detection count is normal or slightly reduced, but its study found that increasing subsets of T helper cells (CD4) and T suppressor cells proportion (CD8) decrease, B the number of cells increased humoral immune enhancement. In particular, a large number of autoantibodies and the presence of immune complexes, IgG, etc. higher than normal. Thoracic duct lymph, 95% belong to T lymphocytes. The patient's thoracic duct, in addition to containing a large number of immunocompetent cells, there are a large number of auto-antibodies, cytokines, inflammatory cytokines and immune complexes. Due to a large number of postoperative thoracic duct lymph derived autoantibodies and sensitized lymphocytes specifically the reduction of memory cells, T4, T8 ratio decreased. After the loss of B cell cycle reentry immature B cells, serum and (or) lymph IgG, circulating immune complexes, interleukin-2 receptor have decreased significantly, so that improved humoral immune hyperactive state, which has shaken the occurrence immune-based systemic scleroderma.
     These are related to thoracic duct drainage in the treatment of systemic scleroderma concept and theoretical basis. Should use this method to treat scleroderma potential setback late in conjunction with other therapies needed, for example, scleroderma preparations, decoction, etc., in order to receive the desired results.
     As for the elderly suitable for thoracic duct drainage it? We are worried about old age may be relatively large if able to withstand surgery. This surgery is not open, not a major surgery, as long as the patient healthy, no chest tube drainage contraindications, such as heart, lung, liver, kidney and blood diseases, no, you can apply this therapy.