Lymphedema after surgery for OC?

Starz: I recently spoke to the gynecologic oncologists at the local women's hospital, and I reviewed lower extremity lymphedema after surgery for ovarian and endometrial cancer, and the incidence is, unfortunately, increasing due to more nodes coming out during robotic surgery.

I also attended a re-certification of experiences lymphedema therapists at the Vodder school, and they talked about lymphedema in the bowel, in the abdomen--as both are areas of many lymph nodes. If your surgery was so extensive, I'll bet a lot of nodes were taken, and the lymphatics in the abdomen/pelvis were disrupted.

Lymphedema can develop in any part of the "quadrant" the area of the body, where the lymphatic system was disrupted. It does not have to start "distally"--in the feet and toes.

I met with the head of the Vodder School in Austria, Hildegard, and she spoke of working on the abdomen on many patients, and the main area of collection, the chyla cisterna, is in the abdomen.

I would say, first, make sure that there is no medical reason for you to swell, but next, I'd seek out a very good and very experienced lymphedema therapist--interview them first--and have them address this and consider treatment. It's far harder to treat the abdomen than the limbs, but it can be done.

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

A quick google search brought up a lecture from Bonnie Laskinski's school on atypical LE:

http://www.lymphedema-therapy.com/03paper.htm

A basic understanding of the normal anatomy of the lymphatic system is critical for anyone evaluating an individual with edema of unknown origin, where testing has already ruled out most of the common causes of edema, namely cardiac, renal, hepatic, thyroid, venous, or drug induced. The major lymph node basins for the extremities are the axillary (armpit) for the upper extremities and the inguinal (groin) for the lower extremities. Lymph from both lower extremities and the genitalia drains into the pelvic and abdominal lymph node basins. From here, the lymph eventually moving into the thoracic duct which is the major lymph vessel that transports lymph fluid form the lower half of the body into the left venous angle between the left jugular and left subclavian veins, and into the right side of the heart. Lymph from the right upper extremity drains into the right axilla and then into the right lymphatic duct which empties into the right venous angle between the right jugular and right subclavian veins, into the right side of the heart. Anatomically, one can see that disruption from infection, scarring, inflammatory processes, accidental injury during a surgical procedure in the pelvic/abdominal areas can result in lower extremity lymphedema as well as abdominal and genital edemas. In the same way, any injury along the path from the upper extremity to the axilla and then into the chest can result in lymphedema in the arm/hand. Trauma, infection, or the formation of a blood clot in the area around the venous angles can cause lymphedema.  

Kira