Intensive Treatment for Upper Limb Lymphedema

Resource type
Title
Intensive Treatment for Upper Limb Lymphedema
Abstract
Introduction, Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a complication of treatment for breast cancer. The aim of the present study is to report a form of intensive treatment for BCRL., Method, A crossover study was conducted involving the evaluation of the change in the volume of the upper limbs of 45 women with BCRL who underwent the intensive Godoy Method® (eight hours/day for five days). Volumetric analyses were performed before and after treatment and differences were analyzed using the paired t-test. Reductions in volume were found in all patients., Results, The average reduction was 45.38%. The reduction was between 15% and 20% in 6.67% of the women (n = 3); 20% to 30% in 13.33% (n = 6); 30% to 40% in 20% (n = 9); 40% to 50% in 40% (n = 18); and more than 50% in 20% of the women (n = 9)., Conclusion, The intensive form of treatment for lymphedema is highly effective in a short period of time, with a 40% to 50% reduction in volume in five days, but requires specialized centers adapted to this form of therapy. This is an option for reference centers in the treatment of lymphedema and the formation of human resources.
Publication
Cureus
Volume
13
Issue
9
Pages
e18026
Date
2021-09-16
Journal Abbr
Cureus
ISSN
2168-8184
Accessed
10/4/21, 5:02 PM
Library Catalog
PubMed Central
Citation
Pereira de Godoy, A. C., Guerreiro Godoy, M. de F., Pereira de Godoy, L. M., Pereira de Godoy, H. J., & Pereira de Godoy, J. M. (2021). Intensive Treatment for Upper Limb Lymphedema. Cureus, 13(9), e18026. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.18026
Publication