ArticleClinical and experimental medicine2024
Improving quality of life after breast cancer: a comparison of two microsurgical treatment options for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL).
Article in Clinical and experimental medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Preventing Secondary Lymphedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of Immediate Lymphovenous Anastomosis.Journal of surgical oncology · 2025Pooled it
- Robotic-assisted lymphatic surgery for lymphedema: Bibliometric mapping of an emerging reconstructive field.JPRAS open · 2026Review
- Short- and Long-term Patency of Prophylactic and Therapeutic Lymphovenous Anastomosis for Extremity Lymphedema: A Systematic Review.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Surgery in Lymphedema: A Scoping Review of Current Applications, Clinical Translation, and Evidence Gaps.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Exploring the Role of AI in Managing Treatment Recommendations for Lymphedema: International, Multidisciplinary, Multiprofessional Survey Study of Trust, Reliability, and Impact on Decision-Making.JMIR medical informatics · 2026Article
- A Practical Algorithm for Donor- and Recipient-site Selection in Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer in Extremity Lymphedema.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Neurolymphatic clearance in neurodegenerative disease: Emerging mechanisms and potential translational strategies.JPRAS open · 2026Review
- Proximal vs. Recipient Site for Vascular Lymph Node Transfers for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- BJS commission on the surgical management of the axilla in breast cancer.The British journal of surgery · 2025Article
- Impact of internet-based nursing interventions on the prevention of postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer patients: a cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- [Clinical efficacy of vascularized lymph node transfer combined with lymphatico-venous anastomosis in treating unilateral upper limb lymphedema after radical mastectomy for breast cancer].Zhonghua shao shang yu chuang mian xiu fu za zhi · 2025Article
- Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) versus lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) for chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL): a retrospective cohort study of effectiveness over time.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2025Article
- Lymphovenous anastomosis: microsurgical innovation and clinical outcomes in breast cancer-related lymphedema care.Frontiers in surgery · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
15 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeVascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) entails the autologous relocation of lymph nodes to a lymphedematous region of the body, whereas lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) creates a direct bypass between the lymphatic and venous system. Both techniques are meant to lastingly bolster the local lymphatic drainage capacity. This study compared safety and effectiveness of VLNT and LVA in patients with chronic breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL).
methodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from our encrypted database composed of patients with chronic BCRL who were treated with either VLNT or LVA and had a minimum follow-up of two years. Patient-specific variables analyzed included pre- and postoperative arm circumferences, lymphedema stages and postoperative complications.
resultsA total of 105 patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 96 patients demonstrated a complete follow-up period of two years. The VLNT group displayed larger preoperative circumferential measurements, evident in both in the isolated examination of the affected arm, as well as when adjusted for the contralateral unaffected arm. Significant reduction in arm volume was achieved by both groups. However, VLNT demonstrated superior relative reduction rates than LVA, neutralizing any significant arm size disparities after 24 months. Surgery duration was slightly longer for VLNT than LVA. Postoperative complications, predominantly minor, were exclusively observed in the VLNT group.
conclusionsBoth VLNT and LVA offer significant improvement for patients suffering from chronic BCRL. VLNT shows an even greater potential for improvement in more severe cases of BCRL, but involves a higher risk for (mostly minor) complications.
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