Lymphedema is nothing more than an accumulation of fluid (lymph) in a limb due to disruption or alteration of the lymphatic system. Lymphedema of the upper limb may be congenital, although the most frequent cause in our environment is due to the sequelae of treatment of certain types of cancer (breast cancer, melanoma, sarcomas, etc) and other less frequent causes are certain infectious processes such as the filaria..
10% of patients who have been treated for breast cancer (axillary radiotherapy, ganglion emptying, sentinel node) develop lymphedema in the upper limb. It does not necessarily arise immediately after surgery, but it can take some time even years before it becomes patent or visible. The inability of this pathology, as well as the risk of complications such as lymphangitis, are one of the most important sequelae of breast cancer.
Lymphedema until a few years ago was treated only with conservative treatments, such as massages and placement of bandages. Nowadays, we have some new surgical techniques that present some really encouraging results:
Microsurgical lymph-node transfer:
This technique consists of removing healthy vascularized lymph-node from a part of the body where they are dispensable, such as the superficial inguinal area, and transferring them to the axilla through a microsurgical transference.
This technique is performed under general anesthesia and the patient must remain hospitalized for 3 or 4 days.
Lymphatic-venous microsurgical anastomosis:
This technique involves joining the superficial lymphatic vessels with the subdermal veins of the affected limb with small incisions. In this way lymph is derived from the lymphatic system into the veins to discharge the lymphedema.
This second option can be performed with local anesthesia and the patient must remain hospitalized 1 day.
Transferencia ganglionar microquírúrgica
Anastomosis microquirúrgica linfático-venosa
Following these interventions, patients should undergo a rehabilitation program. It is important to intervene lymphedema during the first year, when it has not yet been established and there is no residual fibrosis, as this will result in more satisfactory results.
Other techniques:
Breast Reconstruction
Genitourinary Reconstruction
Other fields
of interest
With the aim of achieving a treatment to sane and improve patients’ quality of life, we have launched this solidarity action with the wine-house Jaume Llopart Alemany.
With this wine bottles purchase, part of the benefit will be addressed to the Institut de Investigació of University Hospital of Sant Pau – Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona (UAB) for the Lymphedema Research project lead by Dr. Jaume Masià.
Con la compra de este vino, una parte del beneficio irá destinado al Instituto de Investigación del Hospital Universitario de Sant Pau-Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) para el programa de Investigación en Linfedema que lidera el Dr. Jaume Masià.