ENThe Földi Clinic (Foldi Clinic) is a specialised German hospital for diseases of the lymphatic system. Its field is lymphology, the branch of medicine dealing with the lymph vessels and lymphatic swelling.
It is sought by people with lymphoedema after cancer surgery, by patients with primary lymphoedema or lipoedema, and by their families.
What the Földi Clinic Is
The Földi Clinic is a specialist hospital for lymphology in Hinterzarten, in the Black Forest (Baden-Württemberg). It is named after its founders, the lymphologists Michael and Etelka Földi. The clinic provides inpatient and outpatient treatment as well as oncological rehabilitation. Associated with it is the Földi School (Földischule), a teaching institute that trains specialists in manual lymphatic drainage and complex decongestive therapy.
A separate lymphology hospital exists because lymphoedema is chronic: no single procedure removes it; a trained team of doctors and drainage therapists manages it. The lymphatic system is a network of fine vessels and lymph nodes that carries excess fluid, the lymph, away from the tissues. If these are damaged or underdeveloped, the fluid stays in the tissue and an arm, a leg or another part of the body swells.
Lymphoedema and Lipoedema: What Is Treated
The clinic treats primary and secondary lymphoedema as well as lipoedema. Lymphoedema is swelling caused by lymph fluid that cannot drain from the tissues. Primary lymphoedema stems from a congenital weakness of the lymph vessels. Secondary lymphoedema appears later, for example after lymph nodes are removed or damaged by radiotherapy during cancer treatment; this is why some women develop a swollen arm after breast cancer treatment.
Lipoedema is a painful, symmetrical increase in fat under the skin, mostly on the legs and less often on the arms; it affects almost only women, and even a light knock can leave a bruise. It is not infrequently mistaken for obesity or confused with lymphoedema. The AWMF guideline on lymphoedema, prepared with the participation of the German Society of Lymphology, sets out how lymphoedema is diagnosed and treated in Germany.
Complex Decongestive Therapy: How Treatment Works
Complex decongestive therapy runs in two phases; the first aims to reduce the swelling as far as possible. Manual lymphatic drainage is a gentle massage with special hand techniques that helps lymph flow away. Compression bandaging holds that result: the bandages stop the drained fluid from collecting again. Exercise in bandages works like a pump, as moving muscles push the lymph along. Skin care keeps the skin’s natural protection intact, because with lymphoedema even a tiny wound can become inflamed.
The second phase keeps what has been achieved. Bandages are used while the swelling goes down; once the arm or leg is smaller, made-to-measure compression garments take over, and the patient continues exercise and skin care at home. Treatment therefore includes training: putting on the garments, doing the exercises, protecting the skin. The result depends largely on what the patient keeps doing after discharge: the tendency to swell usually remains, and without daily care the swelling can return.
Surgery is discussed only when decongestive therapy does not help enough; it is an option for few patients, decided by specialists. For lymphoedema it may mean transferring lymph nodes from elsewhere in the body or connecting lymph vessels to veins to give the lymph a new route; for lipoedema, liposuction to remove the excess fat. Lymphatic surgery is performed, for example, by Prof. C. Taeger, a plastic surgeon at Klinik Josephinum in Munich.
Planning a Stay at a Lymphology Clinic from Abroad
A stay is planned from documents best collected in advance: surgery and radiotherapy reports, earlier lymph scans if any were done, measurements of the swollen arm or leg, and a list of the compression garments already worn. From these the doctors see what has been done and decide where treatment should start.
In Germany, specialised inpatient stays in lymphology are often organised as medical rehabilitation, so it helps to know how rehabilitation after cancer treatment and rehabilitation in Germany work in general. The clinic sets the cost in an individual estimate after reviewing the records.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to stay in hospital to treat lymphoedema?
In most cases, no: most people with lymphoedema are treated as outpatients, by a physiotherapist who performs lymphatic drainage and by their own doctor. A stay in a specialised hospital is needed only in particular cases, such as severe lymphoedema or a risk of complications. Whether an inpatient stay suits a patient is decided by a doctor after an examination.
Can lymphoedema be cured completely?
As a rule, no: lymphoedema is a chronic condition, but it can be kept under control. Therapy reduces the swelling; compression garments, exercise and skin care keep the result. Almost everyone who has once had lymphoedema keeps a lifelong tendency to swell, so regular check-ups with a specialist and daily self-care matter, not just occasional courses of treatment.
Do I need to wear compression garments after the stay?
Usually yes: compression garments are the basis of the second phase and hold the result of drainage and bandaging. They are made to measure, and for lymphoedema flat-knitted garments are used most often. They are usually worn every day; the doctor decides for how many hours and how long. Exercise and skin care continue alongside.
How does lipoedema differ from lymphoedema?
Lipoedema is a disorder of fat distribution, whereas lymphoedema is a build-up of lymph in the tissue. In lipoedema the fat under the skin increases symmetrically, usually on both legs, the tissue is painful, bruises appear easily, and almost only women are affected. Lymphoedema develops when lymph drainage is impaired, for example after lymph nodes have been removed. An examination by a lymphology specialist helps to tell the two apart.
How AlenMed Arranges Lymphoedema Treatment in Germany
AlenMed starts from the diagnosis: the patient’s records are translated and sent to a suitable lymphology, rehabilitation or plastic-surgery department, and the hospital is chosen on medical grounds. The steps of arranging treatment in Germany are described on a separate page.
The patient receives a cost estimate and pays the hospital directly; AlenMed helps to obtain the visa invitation and arranges an interpreter. The company’s office is in Munich; its partner hospitals are across Germany.
This material is for reference only and is not an offer. The treatment plan is decided by the doctor at a face-to-face consultation.