Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30324078›Full record

ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2018

Liposuction Gives Complete Reduction of Arm Lymphedema following Breast Cancer Treatment-A 5-year Prospective Study in 105 Patients without Recurrence.

Mattias Hoffner, Karin Ohlin, Barbro Svensson, Jonas Manjer, Emma Hansson, Thomas Troëng, Håkan Brorson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.2field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Modern approaches to lymphatic surgery: a narrative review.Translational breast cancer research : a journal focusing on translational research in breast cancer · 2025
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  7. Multi-omics characterization of lymphedema-induced adipose tissue resulting from breast cancer-related surgery.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Mattias HoffnerDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Karin OhlinDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Barbro SvenssonDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Jonas ManjerDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Emma HanssonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Thomas TroëngDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Håkan BrorsonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Skåne University Hospital · SELund University · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundArm lymphedema is a well-recognized complication after breast cancer surgery that negatively impacts patients' quality of life, both physiologically and psychologically. Lymph stasis and inflammation result in excess formation of adipose tissue, which makes removal of the deposited subcutaneous fat necessary to eliminate the excess volume. Liposuction, combined with postoperative controlled compression therapy (CCT), is the only treatment that gives complete reduction of the excess volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate the 5-year results after liposuction in combination with CCT.

methodsPatients consecutively operated on between 1993 and 2012 were identified from the lymphedema registry, comprising all patients with nonpitting lymphedema treated with liposuction and CCT in our department. Standardized forms were used to collect pre-, peri-, and postoperative data.

resultsOne hundred five women with nonpitting edema were treated. The mean interval between the breast cancer operation and lymphedema start was 2.9 ± 5.0 years, the mean duration of lymphedema was 10 ± 7.4 years, and the preoperative mean excess volume was 1,573 ± 645 ml. The mean volume aspirated was 1,831 ± 599 ml. Postoperative mean reduction 5 years postoperatively was 117% ± 26% as compared with the healthy arm.

conclusionLiposuction is an effective method for the treatment of chronic, nonpitting, arm lymphedema resistant to conservative treatment. The volume reduction remains complete after 5 years.

Identifiers

PMID30324078
PMCPMC6181505
OpenAlexW2886545903

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.