<p>In the 1980s, as a result of the work of a group of vascular surgeons, including Dr Azcona and Dr Jimenez-Cossio who founded the Club of Lymphology (a group of doctors interested in the study of lymphatics and lymphoedema) and Dr Samaniego, who was the first to perform venous-lymphatic anastomoses in Spain, lymphoedema began to be more widely discussed in Spain. At the same time, a doctor who specialised in rehabilitation, Margarita Serra from Valencia, developed swelling in her lower limb and went to the Földi Klinik in Hinterzarten, Germany to receive decongestive treatment. She subsequently became interested in this therapy and was the first to explore and study conservative treatment for lymphoedema in Spain, and started up an outpatient clinic affiliated to the Rehabilitation Department of Hospital La Fe in Valencia. She published two books and gave numerous conferences and talks, educating doctors involved in rehabilitation, physiotherapists and vascular surgeons about lymphoedema. Her invaluable work helped to raise awareness in lymphoedema which, until then, had been a relatively neglected condition in the country (Serra, 1994; Serra, 1997).</p>
