ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Acta Phlebologica 2021 August;22(2):51-4

DOI: 10.23736/S1593-232X.21.00489-6

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Mechanical lymphatic therapy to maintain the results of treatment for lymphedema

Henrique J. PEREIRA DE GODOY ¹ ✉, Ana C. PEREIRA DE GODOY ¹, Renata LOPES PINTO ¹, Stelamarys BARUFFI ¹, Jose M. PEREIRA DE GODOY ² ✉, Maria F. GUERREIRO GODOY ^{1, 3}

¹ Godoy Clinic, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil; ² Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, School of Medicine, São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), National Council for Research and Development CNPq, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil; ³ School of Medicine, São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the combination of grosgrain stockings and mechanical lymphatic therapy performs better at maintaining the treatment results than the stockings alone.
METHODS: A clinical trial was conducted involving 134 patients with primary or secondary unilateral, lower-limb lymphedema who underwent intensive treatment with the Godoy method. The maintenance of the results upon the first return visit (volumetric evaluation) was compared between patients who continued treatment involving grosgrain stockings with and without mechanical lymphatic therapy.
RESULTS: Among the 42 patients in Group I (grosgrain stockings+mechanical therapy), 10 (23.8%) did not achieve a reduction in volume. Group II (grosgrain stockings alone) was composed of 92 patients (68.6%), 40 of whom (43.4%) did not achieve a reduction in the edema. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.007, Fisher’s Exact test).
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of compression therapy involving laced grosgrain stockings and mechanical lymphatic therapy enables more effective maintenance of the results of treatment for lymphedema compared to compression therapy alone.

KEY WORDS: Lymphedema, therapy; Stockings, compression