Abstract
Background Lymphedema is a common complication of breast cancer treatment, affecting 1/5 of breast cancer survivors, but there is no reliable way to detect subclinical lymphedema. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and reliability of using an oversleeve as a postoperative limb volume measurement tool in breast cancer patients. Methods Fifty patients were analyzed based on inclusion criteria. A body volume measurement kit was designed based on the drainage volume method and the circumference measurement method. Twenty-two normal healthy people were measured by the drainage volume (LV) and oversleeve measuring limb volume (OMLV) methods, so as to verify the accuracy of OMLV. Twenty-eight patients with lymphedema diagnosed by the circumdiameter measurement (CDM) method were measured with OMLV for comparison. The difference in measurements between OMLV and CDM was compared in 50 patients with early lymphedema diagnosed by the LV method. Results There was no significant difference between the sleeve method and the drainage volume method in the normal population (P = 0.74). All patients with lymphedema diagnosed by CDM met the diagnostic criteria by the OMLV method. In patients with early lymphedema diagnosed by LV, the diagnostic rate with OMLV was significantly higher than that with CDM (P = 0.008). Conclusion Similar to LV in the diagnosis of lymphedema, OMLV can effectively improve the diagnostic rate of early lymphedema, providing a new option for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphedema.
Highlights
Lymphedema is a common postoperative complication in breast cancer patients [1], with an overall incidence of 663%, 75% within 1 year, and 80% within 2 years [2]
Studies have confirmed that lymphedema is a traumatic disease, which will significantly affect the quality of life, because in addition to the inconvenience and dysfunction from the arm level, aesthetic factors play a decisive role in the loss of self-esteem, which will lead to the psychological sequelae of many patients
Several studies implied that the Complex physical therapy (CPT) technique should be reserved only for selected cases
Summary
Lymphedema is a common postoperative complication in breast cancer patients [1], with an overall incidence of 663%, 75% within 1 year, and 80% within 2 years [2]. Compared with patients with breast cancer without lymphedema, female patients with lymphedema are more limited in shoulder function, the quality of life is even worse, and the cost of medical treatment is higher. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and reliability of using an oversleeve as a postoperative limb volume measurement tool in breast cancer patients. Twenty-eight patients with lymphedema diagnosed by the circumdiameter measurement (CDM) method were measured with OMLV for comparison. The difference in measurements between OMLV and CDM was compared in 50 patients with early lymphedema diagnosed by the LV method. All patients with lymphedema diagnosed by CDM met the diagnostic criteria by the OMLV method. In patients with early lymphedema diagnosed by LV, the diagnostic rate with OMLV was significantly higher than that with CDM (P = 0:008). Similar to LV in the diagnosis of lymphedema, OMLV can effectively improve the diagnostic rate of early lymphedema, providing a new option for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphedema
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
