10 years of experience with autogenous microsurgical lymphvessel-transplantation

The authors report their experience with the autogenous
microsurgical lymphvessel transplantation for the treatment of
upper (n = 60, 55 females and 5 males) and lower (n = 35, 10
females and 25 males, primary lyphredemas = 11, secondary
lymphredemas = 24) limb edemas. Regarding the volume measurements
before and after lymphvessel - transplantation in 58 patients there
was a reduction of volume differences between healthy and affected
arms of more than the half in 76 % of the patients after a mean
follow-up period of 2 1/2 years. In 28 patients with unilateral
redemas of the lower extremities the volume reduction after a mean
follow-up period of I 1/2 year compared to the healthy legs was
more than 50 % in 20 patients. As complications in the early period
2 postoperative erysipelas were seen. One patient developed a Iymph
cyst in the groin and one patient had a postthrombotic lower leg
rederna. The authors conclude that lymphvessel transplantations
therefore seem to be a method to enhance significantly the
lymphatic transport if by conservation me ans alone no long term
success is seen.