Liu Ning-Fei, Wang Li, Chen Jia-Lia, Zhou Jian-Guo, Wu Xiu-Feng, Yan Zhi-Xin, Jiang Zhao-Hua
Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Lymphology Center, Shanghai 9th People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200011, China.
Zhonghua Zheng Xing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2010 Sep;26(5):337-9.
To evaluate the effect of manual lymph drainage on chronic extremity lymphedema.
Fifty patients with chronic lymphedema of extremity were treated with manual lymph drainage (MLD) complex decongestion therapy. Among them, 29 had primary lymphedema, 21 had secondary lymphedema. 42 had lymphedema of lower extremity and 8 had lymphedema of upper limb. The result of treatment was evaluated with measurement of circumference of extremities and edema fluid in tissue with Multiple-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis.
After 1-2 treatment courses, all 50 patients showed significant decrease of circumference of lymphomatous limbs (P < 0.05) and remarkable reduction of accumulated edema fluid in tissue (P < 0. 05). There was highly correlation between the decrease of limb circumference and edema fluid in tissue (r(s) = 0.774, P < 0.01).
MLD complex decongestion therapy is effective for the treatment of chronic lymphedema of extremity.
