Experience with microlymphaticovenous anastomoses for congenital and acquired lymphoedema

Ten unselected, consecutive patients were operated upon for lymphoedema of a limb. In order to evaluate the effect of microlymphaticovenous anastomoses no conservative treatments were used concomitantly. Seven patients had some relief of symptoms postoperatively, while six patients had a decrease in limb circumference. Three patients with primary lymphoedema had no effect of this treatment. Lymphoscintigraphy is advocated as an aid to the selection of suitable cases for microsurgery. Our future indications for microlymphaticovenous surgery for lymphoedema will be limited to patients with secondary lymphoedema with a duration of less than five years. The disease will be diagnosed by clinical examination as well as by lymphoscintigraphy.