Effectiveness of Lymphatic Drainage Pump Massage Machines in Patients with 1st and 2nd Degree Lower Extremity Lymphedema
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Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Lymphedema is tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of proteinaceous fluid usually drained through the body's lymphatic system. It most commonly affects the arms or legs, but it can also affect the chest wall, abdomen, neck, and even genitals. Any issue that blocks the drainage of lymph fluid can cause lymphedema. A treatment cuff uses air chambers (3, 4, 6, 8) that are filled with air one after the other during a compression cycle, starting distally. Each chamber remains inflated until the final one reaches the desired pressure. A new principle involves overlapping the pressure chambers. This avoids the accumulation of fluid or the formation of blisters.
Methods: We have issued more than 550 such devices here to test the efficacy of the 8- chamber system, we included only patients with more than three months of regular use. We initiated this study for internal quality control of the clinic, but mainly to estimate the benefit for patients with mild leg edema regardless of gender, all are adult patients, regardless of socioeconomic circumstances. At the end of the three months, we conducted telephone interviews with 448 patients. After a brief introduction, we started with our open question, e.g. what would you say about the swelling in the leg and the pain sensation there. So we could see exciting and significant improvements in these two primary symptoms.
Results: In the telephone survey of 448 patients who had already been diagnosed with mild to moderate lymphedema, i.e., 1st or 2nd degree lower extremities lymphedema, 417 (93.08%) patients reported that swelling had decreased after three months of regular use, 388 (86.60%) said that pain symptoms had been reduced in 307 cases, and, notably, 298 (66.51%) patients reported improvement in both symptoms. Apart from this, several patients reported additional improvements, including stress relief, easier urination than before, improved leg movements.
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