Sympathetic Nerve Block in Lymphedema Treatment: A Systematic Review

Although the sympathetic nerve system has been described as a modulator of lymphatic circulation, it has not been targeted in the treatment of lymphedema. We conducted a systematic review of publications assessing the use of sympathetic nerve block in lymphedema treatment. We hypothesized that sympathetic nerve block may be a promising treatment option for lymphedema patients. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review of the published literature on the use of sympathetic nerve block in lymphedema treatment using the PubMed database. Eligibility criteria excluded papers that reported other types of lymphedema treatment or any other anesthesiology procedure. Abstracts, presentations, reviews, and meta-analyses were also excluded. Extracted data included the year of study, country, author affiliation, type of study, patient characteristics, nerve block technique, and key findings. From 81 potential papers, eight studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All papers identified were clinical, reporting on a total of 187 patients. Sympathetic nerve block was proposed with local anesthetics, whether or not associated with triamcinolone. Treatment with a nerve block promoted lymphedema improvement expressed by decreased limb circumference and patient-reported outcomes. Large randomized clinical trials are still pending, but sympathetic nerve block seems to be a promising alternative for lymphedema patients who do not respond to conservative therapy.