Intraarterial lymphocytes injection for treatment of lymphedema.
We noted a marked improvement of lymphedema in a patient with recurrence of cancer 3 years after amputatio recti and with post-thrombotic syndrome of the leg, as the result of injection of a suspension of lymphocytes administrated as therapy against advanced cancer. Subsequently lymphocytes-injections were given 39 times to 7 patients with lymphedema of one limb, of various causes. A suspension of lymphocytes was injected repeatedly into the proximal artery of the affected limb. In one patient, lymphocytes were injected 4 times at intervals of 1 or 3 weeks. In most cases, this injection resulted in a marked reduction in the swelling of the affected limb and improvement was seen for several weeks or months. In all cases, there was a marked, continuous softening of the tissue.
D000328:Adult; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000628:therapy*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged