Prevention of lymphatic injuries in surgery.
lymphedemapeople
Microsurgery. 2010 Mar 2
Boccardo Francesco, M.D. 1 *, Campisi Corrado, M.D. 1, Murdaca
Giuseppe, M.D. 2, Benatti Emanuela, M.D. 1, Boccardo Chiara, M.D. 1,
Puppo Francesco, M.D. 2, Campisi Corradino, M.D. 1
1Department of Surgery, Unit of Lymphatic Surgery and Microsurgery,
San Martino Hospital, University of Genoa, Italy
2Department of Internal Medicine, San Martino Hospital, University of
Genoa, Italy
email: Boccardo Francesco (francesco...@unige.it)
*Correspondence to Boccardo Francesco, Department of Surgery, Unit of
Lymphatic Surgery and Microsurgery, San Martino Hospital, Assistant
Professor of Surgery, Largo R.Benzi 8, Genoa 16132, Italy
Department of Surgery, Unit of Lymphatic Surgery and Microsurgery, San
Martino Hospital, University of Genoa, Italy.
BACKGROUND:: The problem of prevention of lymphatic injuries in
surgery is extremely important if we think about the frequency of both
early complications such as lymphorrhea, lymphocele, wound dehiscence,
and infections and late complications such as lymphangites and
lymphedema. Nowadays, it is possible to identify risk patients and
prevent these lesions or treat them at an early stage. This article
helps to demonstrate how it is important to integrate diagnostic and
clinical findings to better understand how to properly identify risk
patients for lymphatic injuries and, therefore, when it is useful and
proper to do prevention.
METHODS:: Authors report their experiences in the prevention and
treatment of lymphatic injuries after surgical operations and trauma.
After an accurate diagnostic approach, prevention is based on
different technical procedures among which microsurgical procedures.
It is very important to follow-up the patient not only clinically but
also by lymphoscintigraphy.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:: It was identified a protocol of prevention
of secondary limb lymphedema that included, from the diagnostic point
of view, lymphoscintigraphy and, as concerns therapy, it also
recognized a role to early microsurgery. It is necessary to accurately
follow-up the patient who has undergone an operation at risk for the
appearance of lymphatic complications and, even better, to assess
clinically and by lymphoscintigraphy the patient before surgical
operation.
Wiley Interscience
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123305656/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0