ABSTRACT
Overview of Design This is a prospective study of 100 consecutive patients with extremity lymphedema undergoing lymphovenous bypass. Preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months after lymphedema bypass, qualitative assessment and quantitative volumetric analysis were performed by a lymphedema therapist. Verbal questions were used for the qualitative assessment, whereas an optoelectronic limb volumeter was used for quantitative analyses. Volume measurements were performed three times and were averaged. After it became institutionally available, indocyanine green fluorescent lymphography was used to preoperatively classify the severity of the lymphedema and to plan the operative sites for the lymphovenous bypass based on patent lymphatic vessels in 65 patients.
