Lymphedema surgery

Lymphedema of the arms or legs can be caused by an illness or can be a side effect of surgery where lymph nodes were removed. Today there are new surgical options for managing lymphedema. One option is called lympho-venous bypass. This is done by bypassing the blocked lymph vessels to nearby veins to reduce the congestion. Another option is a lymph node transfer, which can bridge the gap in the vessels and allow them to decompress. Both of these surgeries require attachment of very small vessels through a technique called “microsurgery.”