LYMPHA
Anaesthetic
General anaesthetic
Surgery Time
2 Hours
Drains
Yes
Recovery garments
Bra
Hospital stay
1 night
Follow-up
1 week and 2 weeks after discharge
Return to desk-based work
1 week
Return to driving
2-4 weeks
Return to sport
6-8 weeks
LYMPHA
Part of your breast cancer treatment may involve removal of lymph nodes under the arm. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of this can be the development of lymphoedema, which affects 1 in 5 women undergoing axillary lymph node surgery.
LYMPHA is a surgical procedure that aims to reconstruct lymphatic flow from the arm at the same time as lymph node removal to reduce the risk of developing lymphoedema. Using fluorescent imaging techniques, the lymphatic channels that supply your arm are identified in surgery as they drain into the lymph nodes being removed. Once the lymph node dissection is complete, these lymphatic channels are connected to nearby veins, using microsurgical techniques, to restore the flow of lymphatic fluid out of the arm.