Recent progress in the vascularized lymph node transfer for the treatment of lymphedema / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

The lymphedema is the most common cause of the refractory extremity thickness, which severely affects the quality of patients′ life and is also an intractable issue for therapy. Among the surgical therapies currently being practiced for lymphedema, free vascularized lymph nodes transfer(VLNT) is a promising option. The purpose of this review is to summarize specific issues of VLNT with regard to the mechanism, the surgical technique, agents application, postoperative care and outcomes.