Management of secondary lymphoedema

Lymphoedema is a chronic, progressive condition. There is no cure but it is most easily managed with early recognition and therapy; those who do not have treatment tend to worsen rapidly and advanced disease is more difficult to treat than early disease. Surgery for lymphoedema is often regarded as a last resort but traditional excisional techniques that have been slightly modified for modern practice have shown good results, whilst newer microsurgical reconstruction techniques show promise although long-term results are lacking. This report provides an update on the therapy of lymphoedema.