Cohort of Lymphedema Patients Followed at the Lymphology Centre of the Dermatovenerologcal Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine University Hospital Na Bulovce Prague in Years 2000 to 2005 A Retrospective Study

Overview

Background.
The aim of the study was an analysis of a cohort of lymphedema patients followed at the Lymphology Centre of the Dermatovenerologcal Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine University Hospital Na Bulovce Prague in years 2000 to 2005.

Methods and Results.
Altogether 329 patients with lymphedema (291 women and 38 men) were included into the study. The type of lymphedema, its localization, cause of secondary lymphedema and the incidence of complications in correlation with sex were analysed. The duration of disease till the beginning of therapy, therapeutical method and the following home care were evaluated. The most frequent cause of the secondary lymphedema was the ablation mammae with axilar exenteration (45 % from the total), other surgical treatment without the axilar exenteration usually do not result in lymphedema. Second most frequent cause of lymphedema was a gynaecological surgery (9 % of total), namely radical gynaecological surgery of a tumor, often combined with radiotherapy. Sole radiotherapy of hypogastrium can also cause lymphedema.

Conclusions.
The complex therapy of lymphedema, which includes manual and instrumental lymph drainage together with compressive therapy, represents the only effective treatment of lymphedema. Equally important is the patient’s education and collaboration (subsequent life-long care).

Key words:
primary and secondary lymphedema, lymph drainage, compressive therapy.