2011 年 24 巻 3 号 p. 233-239
Five consecutive cases of upper limb lymphedema treated by microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation (MLVI) combined with compression therapy between February 2007 and July 2008 are presented in this article. Compression therapy was performed both before MLVI and after MLVI, and the circumferences of the affected limb were measured at 4 points: 3 cm distal and proximal to the wrist and 5 cm distal and proximal to the elbow. Preoperative assessment of the affected limb was performed by the average enlargement of edema circumference (AEEC), comparing the lymphedematous limb and normal limb circumferences. Objective improvement was analyzed by the percent reduction of edema circumference (%REC) at two levels in the lymphedema limb. With average follow-up of 10 months, 1 patient demonstrated excellent results with %REC > 50% at both the distal and proximal sites of the treated limb, and 4 patients demonstrated good results with %REC > 50% at the distal site of the treated limb.
