Long-term Case Report of a Patient with Primary Lower Extremity Lymphedema (Treated with Both Conservatively and Surgically): Observations of Clinical Data and Japanese Version of LYMQOL Assessment

Abstract

Primary lymphedema lacks a definitive treatment, and there are limited detailed reports on the long-term treatment outcomes since its onset. Treatment options include conservative treatment and surgical treatment, the former focusing on patient self-care and the latter including lymphatic vein anastomosis, lymphatic vascular and lymph node grafting, and liposuction. Since there is no curative therapy, some patients withdraw from treatment due to anxiety about permanent treatment or difficulty maintaining their condition. Early-onset primary lymphedema (Lymphedema paraecox) patients who develop the condition during adolescence experience changes in their bodies and lifestyles as they transition from students to adults. Therefore, there is a need for less burdensome and sustainable conservative treatments, as well as effective conservative treatment recommendations before and after surgical interventions. This report presents a case study of a patient who developed primary lymphedema in the left lower limb at the age of 14 and provides clinical data on conservative and surgical treatments over a 13-year period until the age of 27, along with the progression of the Japanese version of the LYMQOL assessment.