title: Ultrasound therapy of chronic arm lymphedema after surgical treatment of breast cancer.
abstract: The treatment of chronic arm lymphedema following axillary dissection for breast cancer is still a therapeutic challenge. To examine other treatment options, we undertook a pilot study on the efficacy of ultrasound therapy (UST) in management of these patients. Fifty patients with post-surgical arm lymphedema and without regional irradiation underwent ultrasound treatment (2 cycles at 4 month intervals) and the results were compared up to 1 year with 100 other patients treated by standardized mechanical pressure therapy (MPT) using a pneumatic pump. In this report we evaluate 96 patients who have been followed after 1 year, 31 of whom belong to UST group and 65 to the MPT group. UST did not show a statistically significant difference in whole arm reduction of lymphedema although there was initially a greater reduction in size after the first 4 months of treatment. The addition of an elastic sleeve did not improve lymphedema in either group. Advantages of UST were an overall shorter length of treatment, a tendency to greater softening of the arm, patient satisfaction by avoidance of an uncomfortable and constrictive device and better relief of osteomyofascial pain, greater scapulohumeral motion, and less intercostobrachial pain-dysesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, National Cancer Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pirovano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diazzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galperti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sensi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martino
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011312:Pressure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy