Breast implants can be risk for lymphedema

Anonymous

Well, I have been saying this for a while, and in response to my latest comment, Kate33 just posted a link to info on the Breast Implants 4You website that pretty much validates my thoughts. Notice the article was written by someone with LE credentials. I am not sure where the author gets the 70% figure (FDA?) and whether the statistic combines both augmentation and reconstruction patients. My other complaint is the use of a pump is included as one of the methods of LE management without indicating it should be used as a last resort. Still, it seems like a well balanced and very informative piece on the risk and issues of LE for those considering breast augmentation or breast reconstruction. Thank you, Kate!




http://www.breastimplants4you.com/lymphedema.htm

hugz4u

They also don't say to wear a glove or gauntlet but just wear a sleeve. You really have to be LE experienced and know how your LE reacts to get away without a glove or sleeve.

And....instead of elastic bandages it should say short stretch bandages.

carol57

I recall that in another thread that was active a long time ago, someone posted a comment that the patient disclosure documents for augmentation implants mention LE as a risk, but that the disclosure documents for reconstruction implants do not.  Those documents are available online, but I never looked to see if there are disclosures in either or both the augmentation and the recon versions.

In the article Tina links to here, the writer seems to lump implants with all types of breast surgery, not isolating added LE risk with implants.  I wish there were a good study to determine relative LE risk with the different reconstruction options.  At least this article raises the issue, although more specific information might have been given (such as the writer's sources; I recognize some of her sentences as direct lifts from the National Institutes of Health Lymphedema PDQ).

Very interesting, Tina, so thanks for posting this.

Carol

Anonymous

Yes, the 70% is not clear, as it includes women who have augmentation, recon, breast cancer surgery, and prophylactic mastectomy. And different types of breast recon can cause or may help alleviate LE (DIEP), so I would love to have ALFP collect data on the types of recon while they are working to review LE studies. And it would be interesting to compare with the kind of node testing done. My guess, if I were a betting woman, is that implant recon after a sentinel node biopsy is a big set up for truncal LE. ALND would be more likely to affect arm or could be trunk and arm. Add rads and we're off to the races!




I did a lot of research on implants on the FDA site when I was trying to decide whether to replace my implants or deconstruct. I did not see any info about risk of LE, as I would have immediately ruled out since I already had truncal LE. If I had seen LE mentioned as a risk of implants before I had my mastectomy, I never would have had recon. I looked at the patient labeling and physician labeling, but I didn't notice anything about LE in either of these. I did not look at the augmentation labeling.

carol57

One more example of how we must resort to doing our own research to understand LE risk, and even then, we are in the dark. What's worse is that most women choosing a recon option don't have a clue they should be thinking of their LE risk. LE is such a footnote to the whole treatment plan and follow-up...until we get it!

Binney4

Tina, DIEP can also sometimes result in leg LE (as some here can testify). It would probably be very difficult to find funding for LE research with regard to various recon alternatives. Not to mention that they'd have to follow women over time for not just arm LE but truncal and leg as well. Very complicated, and we still don't have any agreed-upon standard of diagnosis. <sigh!>
Binney

Anonymous

I wasn't aware DIEP could cause leg LE. How awful. Binney, I know the funding isn't there for specific studies about recon and LE, but I couldn't help but think that while ALFP has been so carefully rooting through previous studies that it's too bad to not have included any info about recon if it was mentioned. Going forward, any study that is reviewed or funded could identify whether a patient had already opted for recon and what type. And for the length of time of the study, if a patient undergoes recon, it could be noted. I guess I think any info should be gathered about recon when possible. It's a lot easier to determine whether a patient has had recon (yes, no, what kind) than it will be for all these LE professionals and DME folks to agree on standardized ways to measure LE across studies, as well as establish good practices of care.