Noninvasive Methods for Measuring Skin Mechanical Properties in Patients with Lymphedema: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this scoping review is to identify to measure skin mechanical properties with lymphedema.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review using eight electronic databases of the English and Japanese literatures and hand-search. Prior to the scoping review, search terms and synonyms related to lymphedema and skin mechanical properties, and search formula was developed to include them. Literatures were selected based on a specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results: A total of 438 results were retrieved from all databases and hand-searching. After checking, 45 literatures were analyzed in the present study. In most studies, skin mechanical properties were measured using ultrasound (thickness and/or stiffness) or Cutometer (elasticity and/or viscoelasticity). Further, the number of literatures has been increasing in recent year, and most of them were reported from developed countries including Japan. However, among these studies, there were a wide variety of measurement sites and methods, and no standard measurement methods has been established.

Conclusions: This scoping review has provided an overview of the noninvasive methods for measuring of skin mechanical properties with lymphedema. Future research is warranted to establish measuring methods high applicability for skin mechanical properties with lymphedema.