title: [Designing a therapeutic education program for patients with lymphedema: live with lymphedema].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphedema is a chronic condition considered to be rare in its primary form and potentially frequent in women after breast surgery for cancer: 27,000 new cases annually. Therapeutic management is a serious challenge. In France, the health authorities (Haute Autorité de santé [HAS]) have recently proposed that appropriate management practices for lymphedema include "patient education". The HAS and the National institute for health care prevention and education also published a methodology guide devoted to structuring a therapeutic education program for patients with chronic disease. Current hospital regulations state that this education program is part of the care to be delivered to patients with chronic disease and that it must comply with the national directives. The purpose of our present work was to present the concept and the contents of a patient education program entitled "Live with lymphedema" designed for patients with lymphedema and developed within the inpatient-outpatient network GRANTED in Sud-Isère.
  
  
  METHODS
  A standard detailed educative approach was applied. It was designed after the educational program for patients with lower limb arterial occlusive disease authorized by the Rhône-Alpes regional health agency. It was adapted to the specific problematic of patients with lymphedema, including medical management, rehabilitation, dermatology and nutritional aspects. It was developed in cooperation with patients and favors local associative actions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The specifically structured program included three therapeutic education consultations and five workshops. Less than one year after its institution, more than 30 patients have participated in the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report a structured patient education program designed for patients with lymphedema. This program was authorized by the Rhône-Alpes regional health agency in March 2011 and is in compliance with the national directives and HAS guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Clinique de Médecine Vasculaire, Grenoble University Hospital, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 09, France. SBlaise@chu-grenoble.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blaise
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Villemur
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richaud
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rastel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Evra
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Bouchet
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Satger
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*