Effectiveness of Lymphovenular Anastomosis and Complex Decongestive Therapy for the Treatment of Lymphedema in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Lymphedema is a common breast cancer side effect, with an average incidence of 30%. The gold standard conservative treatment for lymphedema is complex decongestive therapy (CDT), which includes manual lymphatic drainage, compression therapy, skin care, and exercise. Lymphovenular anastomosis (LVA) is a microsurgical technique that intends to redirect excess lymphatic fluid to the venous circulation; this procedure is usually performed when conservative treatment fails.