Far Infrared Radiation Therapy for Gynecological Cancer-Related Lymphedema Is an Effective and Oncologically Safe Treatment: A Randomized-Controlled Trial.

Gynecological cancer-related lymphedema (GCRL) is a devastating condition that adversely influences function, health, and quality of life. We conducted a randomized-controlled clinical study as well as experiments to investigate the efficacy and safety of far infrared radiation (FIR) to treat lymphedema in patients having previously undergone surgery for gynecological tumors. Seventy-four women with GCRL, cancer free for 5 years or more, were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: standard of care with bandage treatment and treatment with FIR plus bandage.

Rationale for Study of the Deep Subfascial Lymphatic Vessels During Lymphoscintigraphy for the Diagnosis of Peripheral Lymphedema.

Purpose: The current study aimed to determine the utility of including the study of deep subfascial lymphatic vessels in a 2-compartment lymphoscintigraphy for the diagnosis of lymphedema in patients with limb swelling. Lymphoscintigraphy is a valuable imaging tool for the timely diagnosis of peripheral lymphedema. However, there is a lack of standardization in its application, especially regarding which type of lymphatic vessels to examine (superficial, deep, or both).

Mastering Lymphatic Microsurgery: A New Training Model in Living Tissue.

Background: Advanced microsurgical techniques have emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of lymphedema, but achieving international standards is limited by a scarcity of adequate training models. The purpose of this report is to describe our in vivo porcine training model for microsurgery.

Study Design: Five female common-breed pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) weighing 20 to 28 kg were placed under general anesthesia, and blue patent violet dye was injected to highlight lymphatic structures and prepare the pigs for anatomical exploration and microsurgery.

Fibro-Lipo-Lymph-Aspiration With a Lymph Vessel Sparing Procedure to Treat Advanced Lymphedema After Multiple Lymphatic-Venous Anastomoses: The Complete Treatment Protocol.

Background: In lymphedema, excess adipose tissue occurs with progression of the disease because of chronic lymph stasis, impeding lymphatic flow. Recently, liposuction has been used as a less-invasive procedure to remove this excess tissue. Given the existing poor lymph drainage in patients with lymphatic diseases, extra caution should be taken to avoid damaging lymphatic vessels during liposuction.

LYMPHA Technique to Prevent Secondary Lower Limb Lymphedema.

Background: Inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy carries a high risk of lower limb lymphedema. This report describes the feasibility of performing multiple lymphatic-venous anastomoses (MLVA) after inguinofemoral lymph node completion (LYMPHA technique) and the possible benefit of LYMPHA for preventing lymphedema.

Methods: Between February, 2011 and October, 2014, 11 patients with vulvar cancer and 16 patients with melanoma of the trunk requiring inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy underwent lymph node dissection and the LYMPHA technique.

A Single-Site Technique of Multiple Lymphatic-Venous Anastomoses for the Treatment of Peripheral Lymphedema: Long-Term Clinical Outcome.

Background: The authors' vast surgical experience in the treatment of primary and secondary peripheral lymphedemas using microsurgical procedures at the Centre of Lymphatic Surgery and Microsurgery of the University of Genoa, Italy, is reported. The objective is to describe the techniques and the long-lasting clinical outcomes based on 40 years' experience and research, with particular reference to advanced derivative and reconstructive lymphatic microsurgery at a single site.

Methods: More than 2,600 patients affected by upper and/or lower limb lymphedema, between 1973 and 2013, underwent lymphatic microsurgery.

Lymphatic complications in surgery: possibility of prevention and therapeutic options.

The problem of prevention of lymphatic complications in surgery is extremely important if we think about the frequency of both early complications such as lymphorrhea, lymphocele, wound dehiscence and infections and late complications such as lymphangitis and lymphedema. Nowadays, it is possible to identify risk patients and prevent these lesions or treat them at an early stage. This report helps to demonstrate how it is important to integrate diagnostic and clinical findings to better understand how to properly identify risk patients for lymphatic injuries and, therefore, when it is useful and proper to do prevention.