Lymphedema Treatment

Types of Lymphedema Treatment

Lymphedema, however, is not without hope. Many procedures can be used to improve this condition. Older techniques that were unsuccessful in treatment have been replaced with newer microsurgical procedures resulting in significant improvements in symptoms.

Two therapies remain as the main treatments for lymphedema. These procedures include lymphovenous bypass as well as vascularized lymph node transfers.

In a natural state, the lymphatics all coalesce into one large lymphatic and empty into the venous system through a large lymphatic vessel called the thoracic duct. This natural drainage of lymphatics is interrupted in many patients with lymphedema.

One of the solution is to simply rewrap the lymphatics directly into the venous system prior to the area of obstruction. The lymphatic fluid is simply bypassing the area of obstruction and entering into the venous system in the arm itself. Lymphoyenous bypass is an excellent treatment and can result in a significant improvement in patient symptoms.

This treatment requires advanced microsurgical techniques. The size of the lymphatic vessels are significantly smaller than the majority of microsurgical vessels that are typically reconnected; resulting in much more technical difficulty in the reconnection.

When to Seek Treatment for Lymphedema

Lymphovenous bypass is best performed within the first year of the onset of lymphedema. After the first year, the lymphatics themselves become scarred and the success of lymphovenous bypass decreases due to the fibrosis in the lymphatic system itself.  In these patients, we instead choose to use vascularized lymph node transfers. The vascularized lymph node transfer transplants viable lymphatic and viable lymph nodes in a vascularized manner to areas of edema. These lymph nodes act as pumps absorbing surrounding lymphatic fluid and pushing the lymphatic fluid through the efferent veins directly into the venous system. This mechanism of action is extremely useful as it can be performed at any stage of lymphedema even in patients with longstanding lymphedema.

The location of the vascularized lymph node transfer can be customized to patient needs and overall desires. These can be placed in the wrist of patients with predominantly wrist and hand edema, in the area around the elbow of patients with forearm edema or in the axilla in patients with total arm edema. Auxilary placement has the advantage of nonvisible scars and secondary benefit of exploration of the axilla for any constriction of the drain veins.

The two modalities of lymphovenous bypass and vascularized lymph node transfer can often be incorporated at the same time. By incorporating both of these techniques simultaneously, patients are left with the highest likelihood of success for lymphedema management.