Detecting subclinical secondary lymphoedema using bioimpedance: A preliminary study

Fumi Atogami, Hitoshi Niikura, Maho Takeuchi, Toyoko Yoshizawa, Yasuka Nakamura, Yoshihito Furusawa, Yuko Kusaka
20 December 2013

<p>Background: Early intervention is an important facet of the prevention of secondary lymphoedema. However, it is difficult to predict symptoms before swelling becomes clinically significant.</p>n<p>Aims: To detect the potential occurrence of secondary lymphoedema due to lymph node dissection (LND) by examining variance in body water composition from pre- to early post-operative phases.</p>n<p>Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out on two groups of patients who had undergone gynaecologic surgery, with or without LND (LND and control [CONT] groups, respectively). Weight, lower-limb circumference, and the ratio of extracellular fluid to total body fluid (E/T) were measured preoperatively and on postoperative day 7 (POD 7).</p>n<p>Results: Eighteen patients completed the study (LND group, 12; CONT group, 6). Two patients in the LND group had genital swelling on POD7. In the LND group, a significant increase in E/T in the right leg and body trunk was observed.</p>n<p>Conclusion: Early changes in LND group E/T were observed. Further studies are required to develop a reliable index for predicting the occurrence of lymphoedema.</p>

Free for all healthcare professionals

Sign up to the Wounds Group journals





By clicking ‘Subscribe’, you are agreeing that the Wounds Group are able to email you periodic newsletters. You may unsubscribe from these at any time. Your info is safe with us and we will never sell or trade your details. For information please review our privacy policy.

Are you a healthcare professional? This website is for healthcare professionals only. To continue, please confirm that you are a healthcare professional below.

We use cookies responsibly to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your browser settings, we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website. Read about how we use cookies.

I am not a healthcare professional.