Professor Kristiana Gordon

So you definitely wouldn't want to do liposuction for lymphoedema for cosmetic reasons.

But if you've got functional problems with this big arm or leg stopping you from leading a normal life, it's absolutely something to consider.

So the other surgical options are lymph node transfer.

That's where a surgeon says, I'm going to borrow a lymph node, perhaps from somewhere in your abdomen or somewhere else, and make a little cut and sew it into your groin where you've got lymphoedema of the leg below it.

And

There are some wild claims that they can grow new lymph vessels and cure lymphedema with it.

I think the jury's out on that one.

The third procedure is very low risk, and that's the plumbing one, the true re-plumbing, where plastic surgeons are doing super microsurgery, identifying lymph vessels that they can sew into nearby veins and bypass any blockages or obstruction to lymph drainage.

The literature is not convincing for the majority of cases, but I have seen it work.

Terribly tiny.

It's incredibly skilled surgery.

But also it's important, I think, for the listeners to understand that the vast majority of people living with lymphedema are not suitable for this type of procedure.

Definitely, definitely.

And even if someone's got terribly severe lymphedema that's been, you know, neglected for 20 years, which we do still see in our clinic, you know, people haven't been able to access a diagnosis or care anymore.

for many years before they come to us, you know, hope is not lost.

We can do intensive lymphedema treatment where the patients will come to our clinic five days a week for maybe three weeks, maybe longer.

And we do multi-layered compression bandaging on that very big arm or leg or whatever bit's swollen to reduce it.

And then after we've reduced that limb significantly, we then measure them for the compression garment, the stocking, the sleeve, the tights, whatever they need.

And they wear that every day and maintain the results.

So no one is beyond help.