Godoy method for treatment of arm lymphedema women's after breast cancer

Abstract

Background: Lymphedema is a chronic progressive condition its development is an active dynamic process. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to report the rapid reduction in volume of breast cancer treatment-related arm lymphedema women's with five days of intensive treatment. Material and Methods: The intensive treatment of breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema in thirty-one consecutive female patients aged between 40-76 years old with a mean age of 58.0 years was evaluated in a prospective clinical trial. Daily treatment sessions comprised 15 minutes of cervical lymphatic therapy (cervical stimulation), between 4 and 5 hours of mechanical lymph drainage, 3 to 4 hours of manual lymph drainage adapted to the pathophysiology of edema and a compression sleeve made from grosgrain fabric that was adjusted once or twice every day because of the reductions in the size of the arm. The study was carried out in the Clinica Godoy in 2013-2015. The limb volumes of all patients were measured using water displacement volumetry at the start and end of each treatment session. The paired t-test with an alpha error of 5% (p < 0.05) being considered statistically significant. Results: Reductions in limb volume were detected for all lymphedematous limbs (paired t-test: p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Intensive treatment enables significant reductions in the volume of the limb in one week with breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema women's.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• cervical lymphatic therapy
• lymphedema