Interest in prophylactic surgical intervention to decrease the rate of breast cancer
related lymphedema is growing. In Boccardo et al. introduced LVB at the time of axillary
lymph node dissection (ALND). Their initial results demonstrated statistically significant
differences in lymphedema development in the control arm (30.43%) compared to the
treatment arm (4.34%).
1
,2
A 4 year follow up by the same group demonstrated a 4% incidence of lymphedema after
ILR.
3
Subsequent reports of ILR outcomes from other institutions show similarly promising
results. However, these studies have low numbers of patients, ranging from 8 to 35,
and short follow up, ranging on average from 6 to 15 months.
4
The body of literature would benefit from additional publications on this topic with
follow up of at least one year. Our study aims to add to the limited available data
regarding ILR by describing our experience with our previously reported ILR technique.
5
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References
- Surgical prevention of arm lymphedema after breast cancer treatment.Ann Surg Oncol. 2011; 18: 2500-2505
- Lymphedema microsurgical preventive healing approach: a new technique for primary prevention of arm lymphedema after mastectomy.Ann Surg Oncol. 2009; 16: 703-708
- Lymphatic microsurgical preventing healing approach (LYMPHA) for primary surgical prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema: over 4 years follow-up.Microsurgery. 2014; 34: 421-424
- The effect of prophylactic lymphovenous anastomosis and shunts for preventing cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Microsurgery. 2018; 38: 576-585
- Immediate lymphatic reconstruction: technical points and literature review.Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021; 9: e3431
- Longitudinal prospective evaluation of quality of life after axillary lymph node dissection.Soc Surg Oncol Annu Meet. 2021;
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 17, 2022
Accepted:
January 9,
2022
Received:
July 1,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
