Longitudinal effects of a novel advanced pneumatic compression device on patient‐reported outcomes in the management of cancer‐related head and neck lymphedema: A preliminary report

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors experience head and neck lymphedema (HNL), which requires treatment to prevent morbidity. We explore the self‐reported outcomes and satisfaction of patients with HNC receiving treatment for HNL with an advanced pneumatic compression device (APCD). METHODS: HNC survivors (n = 205) prescribed with an at‐home Flexitouch head and neck APCD completed pretreatment and posttreatment self‐reported assessments addressing efficacy, function, and symptoms. Participant average age was 60 years with 74% male. Pre‐post responses for ≥25 days of use were assessed via the non‐parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. RESULTS: Analysis revealed statistically significant improvement in all symptoms and all function items (P < 0.00001). Compliance with prescribed therapy (at least 30 minutes daily) was high with 71% of participants reporting daily use and 87% reporting overall satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The reported improvements in function and symptoms, and high compliance rate, provide a rationale for a subsequent randomized controlled trial.