Advances in surgical treatment of lymphedema

Abstract

An estimated 250 million people worldwide suffer from lymphedema. In the past, the first-line option for treatment was nonsurgical management, either in the form of compression garments or wrapping, or comprehensive decongestive therapy, with debulking surgery re-served for the more advanced cases. However, with improvements in microsurgical techniques and imaging modalities, surgical intervention is increasingly being utilized. This review high-lights recent advancements in the surgical treatment of lymphedema, specifically focusing on improvements in imaging, surgical techniques, and prevention of lymphedema.