Cargando…

Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels

BACKGROUND: Vascularized lymph node transfer is the most common physiological procedure indicated for severe lymphedema. We describe a new physiological treatment strategy for lymphedema, lymphatic system transfer (LYST), which comprises transfer of the vascularized afferent lymphatic vessels along...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko, Visconti, Giuseppe, Karakawa, Ryo, Hayashi, Akitatsu
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Wolters Kluwer Health 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7209849/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32440402
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002721
_version_ 1783531170168832000
author Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko
Visconti, Giuseppe
Karakawa, Ryo
Hayashi, Akitatsu
author_facet Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko
Visconti, Giuseppe
Karakawa, Ryo
Hayashi, Akitatsu
author_sort Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Vascularized lymph node transfer is the most common physiological procedure indicated for severe lymphedema. We describe a new physiological treatment strategy for lymphedema, lymphatic system transfer (LYST), which comprises transfer of the vascularized afferent lymphatic vessels along with their draining lymph nodes. METHODS: All patients undergoing LYST for treatment of lymphedema from 2017 to 2018 were identified. Patient demographics, intraoperative factors, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Three patients underwent LYST. Average patient age and body mass index were 65.3 years and 23.6 kg/m(2), respectively. Indications for LYST were upper extremity lymphedema following mastectomy, radiation, and lymphadenectomy (2) and unilateral lower extremity lymphedema following total hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy (1). In all patients, lymphatic vessels could not be visualized by preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. All LYST flaps were procured from the groin region. A superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap, including the afferent lymphatic vessels and their draining lymph nodes, was elevated. A large portion of the skin paddle was deepithelialized, and the LYST flap was inset into a subcutaneous tunnel made in the lymphedematous limb. All LYST flaps survived completely. No donor site complications were observed. The average rate of estimated volume decrease in the patients at eighth month follow-up was 21.9%. Average follow-up was 11 months. CONCLUSIONS: Because the afferent lymphatic vessels are transferred with the lymph nodes, a presumably lesser degree of lymphangiogenesis is required for a LYST flap to commence its physiological function. Its real-time physiological lymphatic drainage is demonstrated in a video.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-7209849
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2020
publisher Wolters Kluwer Health
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-72098492020-05-21 Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko Visconti, Giuseppe Karakawa, Ryo Hayashi, Akitatsu Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open Ideas and Innovations BACKGROUND: Vascularized lymph node transfer is the most common physiological procedure indicated for severe lymphedema. We describe a new physiological treatment strategy for lymphedema, lymphatic system transfer (LYST), which comprises transfer of the vascularized afferent lymphatic vessels along with their draining lymph nodes. METHODS: All patients undergoing LYST for treatment of lymphedema from 2017 to 2018 were identified. Patient demographics, intraoperative factors, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Three patients underwent LYST. Average patient age and body mass index were 65.3 years and 23.6 kg/m(2), respectively. Indications for LYST were upper extremity lymphedema following mastectomy, radiation, and lymphadenectomy (2) and unilateral lower extremity lymphedema following total hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy (1). In all patients, lymphatic vessels could not be visualized by preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. All LYST flaps were procured from the groin region. A superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap, including the afferent lymphatic vessels and their draining lymph nodes, was elevated. A large portion of the skin paddle was deepithelialized, and the LYST flap was inset into a subcutaneous tunnel made in the lymphedematous limb. All LYST flaps survived completely. No donor site complications were observed. The average rate of estimated volume decrease in the patients at eighth month follow-up was 21.9%. Average follow-up was 11 months. CONCLUSIONS: Because the afferent lymphatic vessels are transferred with the lymph nodes, a presumably lesser degree of lymphangiogenesis is required for a LYST flap to commence its physiological function. Its real-time physiological lymphatic drainage is demonstrated in a video. Wolters Kluwer Health 2020-04-23 /pmc/articles/PMC7209849/ /pubmed/32440402 http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002721 Text en Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) , where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.
spellingShingle Ideas and Innovations
Yoshimatsu, Hidehiko
Visconti, Giuseppe
Karakawa, Ryo
Hayashi, Akitatsu
Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title_full Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title_fullStr Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title_full_unstemmed Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title_short Lymphatic System Transfer for Lymphedema Treatment: Transferring the Lymph Nodes with Their Lymphatic Vessels
title_sort lymphatic system transfer for lymphedema treatment: transferring the lymph nodes with their lymphatic vessels
topic Ideas and Innovations
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7209849/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32440402
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002721
work_keys_str_mv AT yoshimatsuhidehiko lymphaticsystemtransferforlymphedematreatmenttransferringthelymphnodeswiththeirlymphaticvessels
AT viscontigiuseppe lymphaticsystemtransferforlymphedematreatmenttransferringthelymphnodeswiththeirlymphaticvessels
AT karakawaryo lymphaticsystemtransferforlymphedematreatmenttransferringthelymphnodeswiththeirlymphaticvessels
AT hayashiakitatsu lymphaticsystemtransferforlymphedematreatmenttransferringthelymphnodeswiththeirlymphaticvessels