Effects of Lymphovenous Anastomosis Surgery Using Ultrasonography in Lymphedema From a Pressure Perspective

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) surgery after 1 year using the elastic index (EI) and volume. METHODS: This study was a retrospective study of 41 patients, with lymphedema, who underwent LVA surgery between July 2018 and June 2020. Limb circumference, used to determine the volume of the limb with lymphedema, and EI, which reflects tissue stiffness and measured using ultrasonography were measured for each patient before and 1 year after LVA surgery. To examine the effect of LVA, differences in the preoperative and 1-year postoperative volumes and EIs were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The mean volume and EI of the dominant site in upper-extremity lymphedema were 2,309.4 cm(3) and 1.4, respectively, preoperatively and 2,237.1 cm(3) and 0.9, respectively, at 1 year postoperatively. The mean volume and EI difference of the dominant site 1 year after surgery was −16.6 cm(3) (p=0.22) and −0.5 (p<0.001). The mean volume and EI of dominant site in lower-extremity lymphedema were 6,137.0 cm(3) and 1.2, respectively, preoperatively, and 5,832.6 cm(3) and 1.1, respectively, at 1 year postoperatively. The mean volume and EI difference of the dominant site 1 year postoperatively were −320.9 cm(3) (p=0.04) and −0.2 (p=0.09), respectively. CONCLUSION: LVA surgery is more effective in reducing pressure than in reducing volume, which may be helpful in preventing the progression of lymphedema.