[Surgical treatment for lymphoedema]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Vascular Surgery
• Lymphedema Management

Background:

• Lymphoedema frequently occurs after breast cancer surgery, causing significant patient discomfort.
• Conservative treatments like compression garments and physical therapy are standard care.
• Surgical interventions are emerging as effective options for lymphoedema treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current landscape of surgical treatments for lymphoedema post-breast cancer surgery.
• To highlight the role of lympho-venous anastomoses as a primary surgical approach in Denmark.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent surgical techniques for lymphoedema.
• Analysis of lympho-lymphatic anastomoses, lympho-venous anastomoses, and autologous lymph node transplantation.
• Focus on the clinical application in Denmark.

Main Results:

• Surgical options including lympho-lymphatic anastomoses, lympho-venous anastomoses, and lymph node transplantation are gaining traction.
• These procedures can be used as standalone treatments or combined with breast reconstruction.
• Lympho-venous anastomoses are the predominant surgical method for lymphoedema in Denmark.

Conclusions:

• Surgical interventions offer promising alternatives for managing lymphoedema after breast cancer treatment.
• Lympho-venous anastomoses represent a key surgical strategy in current Danish practice for this condition.