ABSTRACT
Heating and bandage in the treatment of limbs with chronic lymphedema has the advantages of being effective, inexpensive, simple, safe, and easy to manipulate. Among therapeutic arsenals in the treatment of limbs from lymphedema, the combination of heating and bandaging seems to be the best one according to physician’s experience of more than 20 years, with an effective rate of over 90% after several courses of treatment. As an invasive test, lymphangiography was done only in a few patients before and after heating; lymphangiographic features in selected cases are: the dilated, tortuous, and interrupted lymphatics seen on the pretreatment X-ray film became straight and continuous on posttreatment film; the valve structure of the regenerated lymphatics looked normal; and so on. Being a high-frequency radiator and having strong penetrating power, the microwave is absorbed by the target tissues where local effect is immediate.
