Articles

LYMPHA-PRESS. A NEW PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHEDEMA OF THE LIMBS

---

Abstract

As no adequate surgical nor conservative therapy exists for the treatment of lymphedema, therapists should aim at efforts to improve quality of life for those patients. Most surgeons agree that surgical treatment of such cases leaves much to be desired (4).

The use of microsurgery lymph-vein anastomosis may be the current best solution to this problem, but to date not enough experience has been accumulated (5). Of all the conservative treatments known, intermittent compression is the only one which so far has shown any effectiveness.

The "Lympha-Press", a pneumatic compression instrument, based on physiological principles, has been developed in our department and is currently being manufactured. It has proven to be very effective for the efficient reduction of lymphedema.

It is designed so that the fluid is pushed from the limb in a proximal direction only. The short cycle of the pressure allows the therapist to use high pressures in order to overcome long standing lymphedema without discomfort to the patient. The use of the "Lympha-Press" together with the correct elastic stocking promises restoration of a good quality of life for the patients.

In this series of 20 patients we had remarkable results in a very short time and succeeded in maintaining this success with the exception of a few patients who needed a few additional sessions, of one hour each.

The "Lympha-Press" is a new intermittent pneumatic machine which according to our experience, has been more effective than the conventional machines, and the results presented in this paper would seem to justify its wide use in the treatment of lymphedema of the limbs.

How to Cite:

Zelikovski, A., Manoach, M., Giler, S. & Urca, I., (1980) “LYMPHA-PRESS. A NEW PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHEDEMA OF THE LIMBS”, Lymphology 13(2), 68-73.