Objective assessment of the efficacy of supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenous anastomosis and microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation in a case of axillary lymphorrhea.

Abstract

Supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenous anastomosis and microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation are procedures currently used to treat lymphedema. However, because in most cases concomitant conservative treatments are included, it is difficult to objectively assess the direct effect of the procedures. The present report is a case in which supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenous anastomosis and microsurgical lymphaticovenous implantation were performed to treat axillary lymphorrhea that developed after the treatments for lymph node metastases of esophageal carcinoma. Prior to surgery, the volume of lymphorrhea was approximately 300 mL/d, but from postoperative day 1, this amount decreased by half, and healing was obtained by postoperative day 20. This result objectively indicates that creating new lymphatic routes with these two procedures is clearly effective.