Optimizing strategies for lymphaticovenular anastomosis in lower secondary extremity lymphedema.

Abstract

Background: Lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) has become an increasingly common treatment for patients with secondary extremity lymphedema. The objective of this study was to optimize strategies for lower secondary extremity lymphedema using LVA techniques, with the aim of enhancing patient outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 121 patients who underwent LVA at Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2020 to December 2023. Preoperative and postoperative assessments included intraoperative observations, functional parameters, and clinical outcomes. The efficacy of LVA was evaluated based on circumferential reduction, quality of life improvements (Lymphoedema Quality of Life Questionnaire), and postoperative complications.

Results: This study enrolled 121 patients with lower secondary extremity lymphedema, with an average age of 58.19 years. The results revealed significant associations between incision depth, lymphatic vessel size, the number of LVAs performed, and the number of incisions per patient, all of which correlated with postoperative volume reduction. The resulted analysis that identified optimal incision depths of 10 to 15 mm, lymphatic vessel size of 0.4 to 0.6 mm, and a recommended number of 6 to 8 LVAs. After LVA, there was a marked improvement in patient quality of life, with particularly notable enhancements in functionality and appearance.

Conclusions: This study's findings optimizing the strategy for LVA surgery recommend the depth of incision, the size of lymphatic vessels, and the number of anastomoses to improve the quality of life and limb volume in patients with secondary lymphedema of the lower limbs.