Assessing lymphedema by tissue indentation force and local tissue water.

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Assessing lymphedema by tissue indentation force and local tissue
water.

Lymphology. 2009 Jun

Mayrovitz HN.
Department of Physiology, College of Medical Sciences, Nova
Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33328, USA.
mayr...@nova.edu

Tissue water and mechanical property changes accompany lymphedema,
however the relationship between these changes, if any, is unclear.
Local tissue water is quantifiable using the tissue's dielectric
constant (TDC), but a non-gravity dependent handheld clinical
assessment tool to easily quantify corresponding local tissue
properties is not widely available. Herein such a tool is described
along with results obtained with it and with TDC measurements made in
healthy legs and in lymphedematous legs before and after one manual
lymphatic drainage (MLD) treatment. Using the handheld device, tissue
indentations to various depths could be completed and corresponding
indentation forces (IF) recorded. Following tests in gels, foams, and
24 healthy human legs to confirm linearity and repeatability, IF and
TDC were measured in 22 legs of 18 lymphedema patients prior to and
after one MLD treatment. Results showed that pre-MLD both IF and TDC
were significantly (p < 0.001) greater in lymphedematous legs compared
to healthy legs and that both IF and TDC significantly (p < 0.001)
decreased after MLD. However, no correlation was found between
pretreatment IF and TDC nor between post-MLD changes. Thus,
measurements of local IF and tissue water provide useful but
apparently independent information as to lymphedematous status and its
potential change with therapy.

PubMed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19725274?ordinalpos=9&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum