Association of clinical manifestations of secondary lymphedema and lymph node dissection sites in the lower extremities of patients with melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Lymphedema is a chronic, debilitating disease that often requires life-long management. Predicting clinical manifestations and prognosis is crucial in clinical practice because the treatment of lymphedema should be individualized for best clinical outcome. The aim of this study is to explore the location and severity of lymphedema secondary to inguinal and/or iliac lymph node dissection (LND) in patients with melanoma. METHODS: Patients with melanoma who received LND at a single tertiary medical center between 1 January 2010 and 31 September 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient who received inguinal LND only were designate as the inguinal group while those who received both ilioinguinal LND were included in the ilioinguinal group. Volumetric measurement was used to objectify the severity and location of lymphedema. Clinical data was acquired for 12-15 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Among 81 patients, 43 (53%) had developed lymphedema in the lower extremities at an average of 33 days after the surgery. Initially, patients manifested with medial thigh lymphedema in the inguinal group while patients were presented with whole leg lymphedema in the ilioinguinal group. Lower leg volume of the ilioinguinal group was significantly higher than the inguinal group. After more than 12 months of lymphedema treatment, upper leg volume was higher in the ilioinguinal group than the inguinal group (12.7% vs 5.4%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lymphedema developed in early post-op period. The ilioinguinal group presented with a larger volume of lymphedema in the distal area of the legs. Even after sufficient treatment, predominant lymphedema remained in the proximal leg for the ilioinguinal group. Patients with both inguinal and iliac LND were associated with more severe lymphedema. Based on the dissection sites, the clinical manifestations and prognosis of leg lymphedema can vary widely. Thus, clinicians should consider the dissection site when approaching melanoma patients with lymphedema.

Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) after COVID-19 Vaccinations:Clinical and Radiological Investigation in 8 Cases of Adhesive Capsulitis

Objective@#Recently, there are clinical reports of Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) after COVID-19 vaccinations. Yet, radiological description and treatment response has not been delineated. The purpose of this study is to report clinical aspects of eight cases of SIRVA after COVID-19 vaccinations and to describe MRI characteristics in five of these patients. Method: We retrospectively identified and investigated eight patients who presented with shoulder pain and global range of motion limitation following COVID-19 vaccination between January 1 st , 2022 and March 31 st , 2022. @*Results@#The mean age of the eight patients (five women and three men) was 56. 0 ± 5.0 years (range, 48∼63 years). Symptoms of shoulder pain and stiffness began on the day of injection in four patients, within 24 hours in two patients, and more than three days in two patients. Initial shoulder range of motion was restricted in forward elevation, abduction, and internal rotation. Three patients who received glenohumeral intra-articular injection showed improvement of NRS scores and shoulder range of motion. Five patients’ MRI were featured with hyperintense axillary capsule, axillary capsular thickness thicker than 4 mm (6.1 ± 0.4 mm, range 5.7∼6.8 mm) and rotator interval fat obliteration. @*Conclusion@#Adhesive capsulitis after COVID-19 vaccine resembles idiopathic adhesive capsulitis both clinically and radiologically. Although the exact pathogenesis regarding adhesive capsulitis after COVID-19 vaccinations remains ambiguous, immune-mediated inflammatory reaction after vaccination can cause adhesive capsulitis. Appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment including intra-articular steroid injection is effective.Physicians should be mindful of this diagnosis so that such patients can be diagnosed promptly and treated properly.