Abstract
Lipoaspiration is a potential treatment for lymphedema; however, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the outcomes and benefits of this procedure in lower limb lymphedema. We aim to describe the outcomes of studies to date reporting the use of lipoaspiration in lower limb lymphedema. We searched the PubMed database for studies that evaluated the use of lipoaspiration for lower limb lymphedema. The keywords “lipoaspiration” AND “lymphedema,” synonyms, and different combinations were used for the search. Only English studies were included. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria from a total of 129 articles. A volume reduction greater than 50% was found in all patients who underwent lipoaspiration for lower limb lymphedema. Complete volume reduction was found after four to five years of follow-up. A greater volume reduction was found for secondary lymphedema when compared to primary lymphedema. Finally, improvement was found in functionality, quality of life, and rate of infection. Lipoaspiration is recommended for patients with lower limb lymphedema in stages 2 and 3 of the disease, followed by controlled compressive therapy that maintains the volume reduction accomplished by the procedure.
Highlights
BackgroundAlmost three million people in the United States and 90 million people worldwide have lymphedema [1,2]
Lipoaspiration is a potential treatment for lymphedema; there is a lack of knowledge regarding the outcomes and benefits of this procedure in lower limb lymphedema
A total of 191 patients, with primary and with secondary lymphedema, were treated with lipoaspiration; at the time of reporting, most were in ISL stage 2 or 3 [8,9,10,11]
Summary
BackgroundAlmost three million people in the United States and 90 million people worldwide have lymphedema [1,2]. Lower limb lymphedema accounts for 20% of all cases of lymphedema [3]. This condition is most likely caused by lymphadenectomy during the surgical treatment and radiotherapy of malignancies affecting the genitourinary tract and lower limb melanomas [3,4]. Regardless of the etiology, different surgical procedures are indicated for each case. Excisional procedures are indicated to remove the overgrown tissue in chronic lower limb lymphedema. Lipoaspiration offers better volume reduction with minimal morbidity when chronic lymphedema has resulted in fibroadipose accumulations and hypertrophy in the lower extremity [7]. To our knowledge, no studies have analyzed the outcome of this procedure in lower limb lymphedema
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