[An overview of integrated surgical management for secondary lower limb lymphedema guided by algorithms]

Abstract

Secondary lymphedema is a chronic progressive disease caused by lymphatic flow obstruction due to surgery, trauma, infection, etc., leading to inflammation, edema, adipose deposition, and fibrosis in subcutaneous tissue. While early, standardized, integrated, and sustained treatment is the principle for managing secondary lower limb lymphedema, and the goal is to provide a personalized and standardized treatment. Based on single-center treatment experience, this article summarizes an integrated surgical treatment algorithm for secondary lower limb lymphedema. It proposes that personalized treatment requires comprehensive assessment of lymphedema severity, pathological components, and lymphatic function, incorporating the International Society of Lymphology staging and imaging findings. This algorithm is based on the principles of regionalization (body regions), staged approach, and integrated treatment to achieve precise personalized intervention, which demonstrates certain value for clinical promotion.

图 1

继发性下肢淋巴水肿的外科整合治疗算法示意图 Schematic diagram of the integrated surgical treatment algorithm for secondary lower limb lymphedema