Usefulness of preoperative echography for detection of lymphatic vessels for lymphaticovenous anastomosis

Abstract

Case 1: A 63-year-old woman with secondary lower limb lymphedema. As it was difficult to detect the lymphatic vessels in the right thigh in indocyanine green lymphography because of thick fat, we tried echography and observed circular structures beneath the superficial fascia. Intraoperatively, we found a dilated lymphatic vessel just as observed on echography. Case 2: A 45-year-old woman with primary lower limb lymphedema. As she was allergic to iodinated contrast medium, we could not use indocyanine green lymphography preoperatively. In echography, we found vascular architectures and found the dilated lymphatic vessels intraoperatively just as observed on echography. In conclusion, application of echography in detecting the lymphatic vessels was useful as a preoperative examination of lymphaticovenous anastomosis.