Interdisciplinary approach to the treatment of postmastectomy lymphedema

A prospective randomized controlled clinical study included 80 women aged 54.9 ± 8 years, who underwent radical surgery for breast cancer and had late postmastectomy lymphedema (II-IV degree). No evidence of erysipelas was observed for the last 3 months. Material and Methods.The severity of lymphedema and treatment outcomes were assessed using water plethysmography in relative units (in %). Changes in the subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness were measured by ultrasound. To assess the severity of liposuction complications, the Clavien-Dindo classification was used. Three homogeneous groups of patients were treated. In Group 1 (n=30), conservative methods (intermittent pneumatic compression of the arm, electrostimulation of skeletal muscles, magnetic therapy, massage, therapeutic exercises, compression bandaging) were performed in the preoperative period; in group 2 (n=30) - in the late postoperative period of liposuction; in group 3 (n=20) liposuction was followed by compression bandaging. results. The average volume excess in the edematous upper extremity significantly decreased, being 84.2 ± 10.0 % in group1 patients, 87.8 ± 9.3 % in group 2 and 72.2 ± 9.6 % in group 3 (p function show_eabstract() { $('#eabstract1').hide(); $('#eabstract2').show(); $('#eabstract_expand').hide(); }