title: Supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis for the treatment of lymphedema in the upper extremities.
abstract: Over the last eight years, the authors analyzed obstructive lymphedema of a unilateral upper extremity in a total of 27 females, comparing the use of supramicrosurgical lymphaticovenule anastomoses and/or conservative treatment. The most common cause of edema was mastectomy, with or without subsequent radiation therapy for breast cancer. As an objective assessment of the extent of edema, the circumferences of the affected and opposite normal forearms were measured at 10 cm below the olecranon of the arm. Twelve of these patients received continual bandaging. In these patients, the average excess circumference of the affected arm was 6.4 cm over that of the normal forearm; the average duration of edema before treatment was 3.5 years; the average period for conservative treatment was 10.6 months; and the average decrease in circumference was 0.8 cm (11.7 percent of the preoperative excess). Twelve patients underwent surgery and postoperative continual bandaging. In these patients, the average excess circumference was 8.9 cm; the average duration of edema before surgery was 8.2 years; the average follow-up after surgery was 2.2 years; and the average decrease in circumference was 4.1 cm (47.3 percent of the preoperative excess). These results indicated that supermicrolymphaticovenular anastomoses with postoperative bandaging have a valuable place in the treatment of obstructive lymphedema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Okayama University Medical School and Kawasaki Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inagawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Urushibara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001132:Arm; D001458:Bandages; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000601:surgery*; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome