title: Follow-up study of upper limb lymphedema patients treated by microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation (MLVI) combined with compression therapy.
abstract: We present a follow-up study of 18 patients with upper limb lymphedema treated by microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation (MLVI) combined with compression therapy. This combined technique provides increased lymphatic flow through newly created lymphaticovenous bypasses by the MLVI surgery, with assistance for pumping function in the lymphatics by compression therapy. Preoperative assessment of the affected limb was performed by the average enlargement of edema circumference (AEEC), comparing the lymphedema limb and normal limb circumferences. Objective improvement was analyzed by the percent reduction of edema circumference (%REC) at two levels of the lymphedema limb. With an average follow-up of 24 months, 77.8% of patients presented excellent or good results, with %REC >50% at either the distal or proximal site of the treated limb. This combined treatment can be expected to provide favorable long-term results, even for patients with AEEC >8 cm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. yu-h1@med.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekido
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.forename: Tsuneki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugihara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001458:Bandages; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity