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Liposuction and Controlled Compression Therapy Reduce the Erysipelas Incidence in Primary and Secondary Lymphedema

Karlsson, Tobias LU orcid ; Hoffner, Mattias LU and Brorson, Håkan LU orcid (2022) In Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open 10(5).
Abstract

Background: Skin infections are a recurring problem for people with lymphedema, and lymphedema has been proven to be the single most important risk factor for developing erysipelas in the leg. This study aimed to determine whether liposuction for late-stage lymphedema reduces the rate of erysipelas in lower extremity lymphedema. Methods: One-hundred twenty-four patients with a median age of 49 years who had liposuction and controlled compression therapy for lower extremity lymphedema were included. Excess volumes were calculated before and after surgery. Median preoperative and postoperative patient years at risk were 11 and 5 years, respectively. Results: With a total of 1680 preoperative person years at risk and 335 bouts of... (More)

Background: Skin infections are a recurring problem for people with lymphedema, and lymphedema has been proven to be the single most important risk factor for developing erysipelas in the leg. This study aimed to determine whether liposuction for late-stage lymphedema reduces the rate of erysipelas in lower extremity lymphedema. Methods: One-hundred twenty-four patients with a median age of 49 years who had liposuction and controlled compression therapy for lower extremity lymphedema were included. Excess volumes were calculated before and after surgery. Median preoperative and postoperative patient years at risk were 11 and 5 years, respectively. Results: With a total of 1680 preoperative person years at risk and 335 bouts of erysipelas experienced in 64 patients, the preoperative incidence rate was 0.20 bouts per person per year, and the period prevalence was 52%. Postoperatively, the patients were followed over a total of 763 person years at risk, and 28 patients experienced a total of 53 bouts of erysipelas, resulting in a postoperative incidence rate of 0.07 bouts per person per year, and a period prevalence of 23%. This represents a 65% decrease in the erysipelas incidence rate (P < 0.001). The preoperative median excess volume of 3158 ml was reduced with a median of 100% (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Liposuction and controlled compression therapy significantly reduce the risk for erysipelas in lower extremity lymphedema and completely reduces the excess volume. This finding is similar to our previous research including patients with upper extremity lymphedema.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open
volume
10
issue
5
article number
E4314
publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
external identifiers
  • pmid:35539287
  • scopus:85130731724
ISSN
2169-7574
DOI
10.1097/GOX.0000000000004314
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7eee804a-04b8-4269-892c-ed561e3bb60b
date added to LUP
2022-07-12 14:15:44
date last changed
2024-04-16 08:29:15
@article{7eee804a-04b8-4269-892c-ed561e3bb60b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Skin infections are a recurring problem for people with lymphedema, and lymphedema has been proven to be the single most important risk factor for developing erysipelas in the leg. This study aimed to determine whether liposuction for late-stage lymphedema reduces the rate of erysipelas in lower extremity lymphedema. Methods: One-hundred twenty-four patients with a median age of 49 years who had liposuction and controlled compression therapy for lower extremity lymphedema were included. Excess volumes were calculated before and after surgery. Median preoperative and postoperative patient years at risk were 11 and 5 years, respectively. Results: With a total of 1680 preoperative person years at risk and 335 bouts of erysipelas experienced in 64 patients, the preoperative incidence rate was 0.20 bouts per person per year, and the period prevalence was 52%. Postoperatively, the patients were followed over a total of 763 person years at risk, and 28 patients experienced a total of 53 bouts of erysipelas, resulting in a postoperative incidence rate of 0.07 bouts per person per year, and a period prevalence of 23%. This represents a 65% decrease in the erysipelas incidence rate (P &lt; 0.001). The preoperative median excess volume of 3158 ml was reduced with a median of 100% (P &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: Liposuction and controlled compression therapy significantly reduce the risk for erysipelas in lower extremity lymphedema and completely reduces the excess volume. This finding is similar to our previous research including patients with upper extremity lymphedema.</p>}},
  author       = {{Karlsson, Tobias and Hoffner, Mattias and Brorson, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{2169-7574}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  publisher    = {{Lippincott Williams & Wilkins}},
  series       = {{Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open}},
  title        = {{Liposuction and Controlled Compression Therapy Reduce the Erysipelas Incidence in Primary and Secondary Lymphedema}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000004314}},
  doi          = {{10.1097/GOX.0000000000004314}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}