Lymphedema Reconstructive Surgery
Plastic surgery
Lymphedema is an accumulation of fluid (lymph) in an extremity due to an interruption or alteration of the lymphatic system.
Upper extremity lymphedema can be congenital, although the most common cause in our environment is due to the consequences of treatment for certain types of cancer (breast cancer, melanoma, sarcomas…), other less common causes are certain infectious processes such as filaria. The accumulation of lymph causes swelling (normally in the arms and hands), chronic inflammation and an increase in the thickness and fibrosis of the tissue that is just under the skin.
Surgical interventions seek to improve the function of the lymphatic system and reduce chronic swelling.
