Fluid translocation measurement. A method to study pneumatic compression treatment of postmastectomy lymphoedema.

Tissue fluid translocation under the action of deformation was measured to study the pneumatic compression treatment of postmastectomy lymphoedema of the arm. Analysis of the results provides statistically significant parameters for characterization of the oedema. Mobility of the fluid in pitting oedematous tissue was significantly greater than that of normal tissue and decreased after pneumatic compression treatment. Oedematous fluid at the distal sites of the arm showed a greater mobility than that of the proximal sites. Improvement in the oedema due to pneumatic compression treatment was found to be greater at the distal sites than at the proximal sites. In addition, oedema recurred between the treatments and repeated treatments produced the best results. Measurement of fluid translocation is useful in selecting and evaluating the effectiveness of lymphoedema treatment, as well as in determining the viscoelastic properties of the oedematous tissues.