• Lymphedema Surgery

  • Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.

  • Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.

  • Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point.

Lymphedema is a diagnosis many women get after they have surgery and radiation for breast cancer. Lymphedema most commonly occurs in the upper extremity and involves swelling of part of all of the hand/arm. Lymphedema is an unpredictable disease and can occur soon after breast cancer treatment or many years later. Lymphedema occurs most commonly when women have both an axillary dissection and radiation, but it can also occur in other circumstances. Lymphedema can be mild, moderate, or severe, and every woman has a different experience with it. Lymphedema cannot be cured, but there are options to improve it and make it more manageable.


The mainstay of lymphedema treatment is physical therapy. You should see a lymphedema therapist who best fits your needs. They will teach you how to best care for your arm, which will include massage and custom-fit garments. There are also other options including night garments and a pump. It is important for you to stay committed to therapy because consistent therapy is the key to success in lymphedema. We will work with you to find you a lymphedema therapist that is convenient for you and who will fit your needs.

There are surgical options for lymphedema. Surgery will not cure lymphedema, but it may help make it more manageable. When it comes to surgery there are two options.

  • Lymphovenous bypass

  • Lymph node transfer.

Lymphedema occurs when your lymphatic nodes and lymphatic channels are damaged. Lymphovenous bypass is a procedure where lymphatic channels are connected to veins in your arm. This helps bypass the normal lymphatic circulation which has been disrupted. We map out your current lymphatics in the operating room and then connect them to nearby veins. Not everyone is a candidate for lymphovenous bypass. It depends on the status of your current lymphatic channels, which is checked in the operating room.


Lymph node transfer is another operation that is used to treat lymphedema. In this surgery, we transfer lymph nodes from another part of the body to your axilla (armpit) to help restore the lymphatics which were removed during your axillary dissection. There are many options for lymph node transfer, which include thoracodorsal, supraclavicular, omentum, and groin. We most commonly take lymph nodes from the back (thoracodorsal), and they are tunneled into your axilla. This surgery is also known as a muscle-sparing latissimus flap.