Surgical Intervention and Lymphatic Diseases.

Lymphatic-related diseases such as lymphedema often result from damage to the lymphatic system due to tumor removal and lymph node dissection surgeries, as well as tissue fibrosis caused by post-operative radiation therapy. This can lead to obstruction in the proximal channels of lymphatic flow, resulting in swelling, deformity of the distal limbs, poor wound healing, or cellulitis.

In the case of lymphatic-related diseases like lymphedema, improvement can be achieved through surgical interventions. Surgery can be categorized into physiologic reconstruction and volume reduction procedures. Among them, Supermicrosurgical Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis (LVA) is a form of physiologic reconstruction. LVA involves the separation of lymphatic vessels in the affected limb and their anastomosis with nearby small veins to alleviate limb swelling and reduce the risk of cellulitis. When using lymphaticovenous bypass surgery to treat lymphedema, the ideal scenario is to use veins for anastomosis that do not have venous blood reflux. This is because veins generally have higher blood pressure than lymphatic fluid, and if venous blood flows into the lymphatic vessels over the long term, it can reduce the patency of the lymphaticovenous anastomosis site. The choice of anastomosis technique, based on the size and position of the lymphatic vessels and veins, can also impact the post-operative outcomes. Therefore, factors such as lymphatic vessel size, flow rate, function, vein size, pressure, and the presence of reflux are closely related to the success of lymphaticovenous bypass surgery.

Supermicrosurgical LVA has been proven effective in treating moderate to severe lymphedema, including cases with diffuse dermal backflow (DB) and even severe lymphatic fluid leakage. Therefore, the use of LVA should not be limited to mild lymphedema, and its indications should be expanded to become a primary surgical approach for more severe lymphedema cases. Among all surgical procedures for lymphedema, LVA is the least invasive, allowing for rapid recovery, minimizing the complications, and reducing medical costs.

Inclusion criteria

• This study including patients diagnosed with lymphatic-related diseases at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from September 1, 2015, to August 31, 2022.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients under the age of 20.
• Patients with incomplete medical records.