Timely management of a primary lower-limb lymphoedema through the combination of the complete decongestive therapy and the pneumatic compression device: a 4-day treatment

Dimitrios Lytras
7 September 2021

Background: This case study concerns a 44-year-old man who suffered from primary lymphoedema in the left lower limb. This particular patient visited the author’s centre to receive treatment for the lower limb. However, immediately after the start of the sessions, an emergent professional obligation forced him to go abroad immediately for a month. This development meant that the time available for treatments with that particular patient was much shorter than expected. So, it was decided to do double sessions for 4 days to combine the Complete Decongestive Treatment (CDT) with the application of the Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) device, which the patient applied in the treatment centre for 40 minutes the same afternoon. Method: The method used was a single-subject case report. Written consent was obtained from the patient’s representative. Results: Within 4 days, there was a very large reduction in the circumference of the patient’s foot, to the extent that the skin could not adapt to this reduction and created folds. Discussion: The usual treatment time for primary lymphoedema ranges from 10 to 15 days. However, using the specific treatment regimen showed positive results for the patient in a much shorter period of time. Conclusion: This combination could have the desired effect in a much shorter period of time in other patients with primary lower-limb lymphoedema.

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