Professor Kristiana Gordon

So I think what we offer in our clinics or what we try and offer is both medical treatment, but also that psychological support.

You know, we try and

get to know our patients so well so that we can recognise if they're going through a difficult time and try and support them and signpost them to other colleagues that can help them get through that.

But I think people with lymphedema do have a tough time because there's not enough funding to have enough therapists to do the treatment for these patients and give them the number of garments that they need.

So they need support.

There are.

There's three types of lymphedema surgeries.

I had absolutely no idea.

Very few are available on the NHS in the UK.

And I will say at the moment there's lacking evidence for the success of the majority of lymphedema surgeries.

So if I talk through the three different types, the first type of lymphedema surgery and the one that we offer in our clinic is liposuction.

So liposuction is...

The removal of fat tissue, yes.

So what we're learning is that the lymph system, as well as playing a role in fluid balance, it also plays a role in inflammation and fat regulation.

So what we then can do if a person is suitable for it and wants to go for it is do liposuction to debulk that limb to reduce the volume.

We can try and match it to their other unaffected limb sometimes.

Wow.

It doesn't come without a cost though because what we have done when we've done the liposuction is damage many of the lymph vessels that were previously working.

So post-surgery for liposuction, you need to sign up to wearing your compression garments 24-7 for life, day and night.

You can only take your compression garments off for a shower.