Results of home-based modified combined decongestive therapy in patients with lower extremity lymphedema

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of this study is to present the results of modified combined decongestive therapy (CDT) in patients with lower extremity lymphedema (LEL). Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed 95 patients aged 55.84 ± 15.70 years who had been diagnosed with LEL between May 2015 and May 2017. The patients were treated for 4 weeks with modified CDT, including self-manual lymphatic drainage, self-bandaging, decongestive exercises, and skin care. Results: The mean reduction amounts of edema volume before and after treatment were 296.05, 784.92, and 1038.50 mL for stages 1, 2, and 3 respectively (P = 0.001). There were significant differences between the values before and after treatment in excess extremity volume (EEV) at all stages (P = 0.001). The EEV percentages of the secondary LEL patients were higher than those of the primary LEL patients (P = 0.04). There was no correlation between BMI and treatment response in terms of EEV percentages (r = –0.99; P = 0.36). Conclusion: Our results revealed that home-based modified CDT is more effective in reducing extremity edema volume in secondary LEL than primary LEL. It should be an available method for self-management of LEL at all stages.