Treatment of chronic extremity lymphedema with manual lymph drainage.
- Author:
Ning-Fei LIU
1
;
Li WANG
;
Jia-Lia CHEN
;
Jian-Guo ZHOU
;
Xiu-Feng WU
;
Zhi-Xin YAN
;
Zhao-Hua JIANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Chronic Disease; Drainage; methods; Extremities; Female; Humans; Lymphedema; surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
- From: Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2010;26(5):337-339
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of manual lymph drainage on chronic extremity lymphedema.
METHODSFifty patients with chronic lymphedema of extremity were treated with manual lymph drainage (MLD) complex decongestion therapy. Among them, 29 had primary lymphedema, 21 had secondary lymphedema. 42 had lymphedema of lower extremity and 8 had lymphedema of upper limb. The result of treatment was evaluated with measurement of circumference of extremities and edema fluid in tissue with Multiple-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis.
RESULTSAfter 1-2 treatment courses, all 50 patients showed significant decrease of circumference of lymphomatous limbs (P < 0.05) and remarkable reduction of accumulated edema fluid in tissue (P < 0. 05). There was highly correlation between the decrease of limb circumference and edema fluid in tissue (r(s) = 0.774, P < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONSMLD complex decongestion therapy is effective for the treatment of chronic lymphedema of extremity.
