Treatment for upper-limb and lower-limb lymphedema by professionals specializing in lymphedema care.

[lymphede...@gmail.com]

Treatment for upper-limb and lower-limb lymphedema by professionals
specializing in lymphedema care.

Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2008 Sep

angbecker D, Hayes SC, Newman B, Janda M.
School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Biomedical
Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove,
Queensland, Australia.

Up to 60% of patients with cancer of the vulva, and between 20 and 30%
of patients with breast or abdominal cancers may develop lymphedema
following treatment. The aims of this study were to assess health
professionals' knowledge about treatment, diagnostic procedures,
advice and confidence in treatment of patients with either upper-limb
(ULL) or lower-limb lymphoedema (LLL), and whether these differed by
health professionals' background or for patients with ULL compared
with LLL. A cross-sectional telephone interview was undertaken in
2006, of 63 health professionals (response rate 92.6%) known to treat
lymphedema. Sixty-three per cent of the health professionals were
physiotherapists; the majority were university-trained, with 20 years'
experience or more. Ninety-five per cent of health professionals used
circumferential measurements to establish lymphedema status, and most
health professionals advised avoiding scratches and cuts (100%),
insect bites (98.4%), sunburn (98.4%) and excessive exercise (65.1%)
on the affected limb. Health professionals reported that compared with
patients with LLL, patients with ULL were more likely to present
within the first 3 months of being symptomatic (P < 0.01). Patients
with LLL were more likely to present with swelling (P = 0.001),
heaviness (P = 0.003), tightness (P = 0.007) and skin problems (P <
0.001) compared with patients with ULL. Treatment and advice differed
according to health professionals' background, but not location of
lymphedema (ULL vs. LLL). Assessment, treatment and advice for
lymphedema vary across professional groups. Our results suggest that
improvements should be attempted in the early detection of lymphedema,
in particular of LLL among cancer patients.

PMID: 18771539 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18771539?ordinalpos=30&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum