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You have had all the lymph nodes in your abdomen removed.

Fluid forms in tissue throughout the body every day. This tissue fluid is the lymph. The lymph is carried around the body by lymph vessels. The lymph vessels run around the entire body and are connected to blood vessels. At some points, there are lymph nodes along the lymph vessels. Pathogens are rendered harmless in the lymph nodes, for example. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures. They are part of the body’s defense system.

You have had your lymph nodes surgically removed. To do this, your skin was cut open. A tube with a camera was inserted through this incision. The camera sent pictures of the inside of your body to a screen. Instruments such as forceps and scissors can be inserted through other small incisions.