Lymphedema treatment
Lymphedema is a swelling of a part of the body that happens because of decreased flow of lymphatic fluid.
It can happen anywhere in the body, but most commonly occurs in the arms or legs.
It can occur as a result of surgery or radiation, but sometimes can occur without any identifiable cause.
Lymphedema treatment is a challenging issue to treat, but fortunately there are new techniques that are being developed that improve the flow of lymphatic fluid, and thereby decrease the swelling caused by lymphedema treatment.
Some of these techniques are non-surgical (medications, lymphatic massage), and some are surgical (lymph node transfer, lymphovenous anastomosis).
We can help to make a treatment plan for lymphedema treatment. And when we believe that one of the surgical options is right for you, we can perform that operation.
Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT)
The human body has lymph nodes in many locations from head-to-toe. Though we are still relatively early in our understanding of the exact science underlying it, it has been shown that moving lymph nodes from one part of the body to another (vascularized lymph node transfer) can improve the symptoms of lymphedema treatment.
The most common locations from where donor lymph nodes can be collected are the armpit, chest wall, groin, and even inside the abdomen. Once they have been collected, a delicate procedure is performed to connect the lymph nodes to the source of blood flow in the area of lymphedema treatment.
The improvement is gradual, but people who have undergone this procedure often notice an improvement in the swelling of the affected area (sometimes a minor improvement, and sometimes a dramatic improvement).
Lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA)
The lymphatic fluid that collects in the lymphatic system ultimately enters the bloodstream by draining into big veins in the neck. A lymphovenous anastomosis is an innovative procedure where a lymphatic channel is connected to a nearby vein so that the lymphatic fluid that is otherwise “backed up” and unable to sufficiently drain, can in fact still enter into the bloodstream. These connections are often very close to the skin, and multiple can be performed during the same procedure.
Similar to VLNT, the effect of LVA is gradual, and in some circumstances can lead to a dramatic improvement in swelling and other symptoms.
Liposuction
Lymphedema treatment is usually a combination of both increased fluid as well as increased fat in the affected area. When fat is the predominant element, liposuction is often the best treatment. It does not improve the flow of lymphatic fluid, but it does reliably and effectively improve the symptoms by removing a lot of the excess fatty tissue.