
Improvements in diagnosis and treatment have substantially reduced the mortality rate in the last 50 years ( 1). Adherence decreased over time.Ĭonclusions: The findings of this RCT show that health education, preventive exercise programs, and patient adherence to therapeutic recommendations all play an important role in preventing lymphedema.Ĭlinical Rehabilitation Impact: Our data demonstrated that the use of a compression garment during the first 3 months after axillary node dissection may reduce the likelihood of lymphedema in high-risk patients.īreast cancer is the second most common cancer type worldwide. Neither exercise ( p = 0.518) nor education alone decreased the incidence of lymphedema. In the experimental arm, the incidence of lymphedema was significantly lower ( p = 0.02) in patients who used the CGs daily as recommended compared to patient who did not adhere to this treatment recommendation. Results: At 2-years, the overall incidence of lymphedema in the two groups was 12.3%, with no significant differences between the conventional and experimental arms (12.5 vs. Patients in the experimental arm were instructed to wear the CG ≥ 8 h/day for the first 3 months after surgery and 2 h/day thereafter.
Compression garments for lymphedema plus#
Methods: Seventy patients who had undergone ALND for breast cancer were randomized to receive conventional preventative therapy (control arm, n = 35) consisting of a 1-hour educational session and a 12-week exercise program or the same therapy plus upper limb CGs (experimental arm, n = 35). The addition of compression garments (CG) may increase the effectiveness of these programs.Īim: We aimed to determine whether adding a compression garment to a conventional lymphedema prevention program could improve treatment effectiveness. Lymphedema prevention programs, which primarily consist of educational content and exercise, have been shown to reduce the incidence of lymphedema. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spainīackground: Patients with breast cancer who undergo axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) are at risk of developing lymphedema, which can negatively impact quality of life.Perrot Gonzalez, Marta Beranuy Rodriguez, Alberto Pintor Ojeda and Helena Bascuñana Ambros Nadal Castells *, Eliot Ramirez Mirabal, Jordi Cuartero Archs, Jean C. Custom-made JOBST compression garments are perfectly fitted and are designed to provide you with more comfort, less symptoms – and ultimately the possibility to live your life to the fullest.Maria J. The obesity often seen in lipedema patients may lead to damages in the lymphatic system and induce a secondary lymphedema.Ĭompression therapy is an integral part of the treatment plan for all these conditions.

It most often occurs in the legs and almost exclusively affects women.

Lipedema: a chronic condition in which fat disproportionally increases in specific areas of the body.

