title: Treatment of lower extremity edema by subcutaneous drainage in palliative care of advanced cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower extremity edema is a problem in patients with advanced cancer, causing decreased physical function and reduced movement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients with advanced cancer were treated by subcutaneous needles inserted in the inner and outer sides of the ankles and attached to an enclosed drainage bag, or by creating subcutaneous tracts in both ankles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients lost weight after 24 hours. A total of 4 patients reported enhanced mobilization and 5 patients had significant improvement of mobilization that improved their quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous drainage can improve edema in the lower limbs or the lower body segment, contributing to patient comfort at his end-of-life period. A prospective study with better evaluation of patient quality of life is ongoing in our center.
authors: Division of Oncology, Rambam-Health Care Campus, and Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. g_barsela@rambam.health.gov.il
authors: Gil
authors: G
authors: Bar-Sela
authors: Anat
authors: A
authors: Omer
authors: Ezequiel
authors: E
authors: Flechter
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Zalman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life