A BREAKTHROUGH IN LYMPHEDEMA SURGERY: A UNIQUE OPERATION AT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH RADIOLOGICAL CENTRE

The Department of Oncoplastic Surgery with Chemotherapy at the P. Hertsen MORI performed a unique operation for the first time, during which specialists applied a fundamentally new approach to the treatment of lymphedema of the upper extremity. The patient, who had undergone radical removal of lymph nodes and radiation therapy for breast cancer treatment, suffered from severe edema of the arm, which seriously limited her quality of life.

An advanced method of lymph node transplantation developed on the basis of international experience was used for treatment. During the operation, specialists used lymph nodes from the greater omentum, an abdominal organ rich in lymphatic structures. The procedure stages included laparoscopic extraction of the omentum fragment, performed by the team of the thoracoabdominal department under the guidance of Ilya Kolobaev, MD, Head of the department, and its microsurgical transplantation into the patient’s axillary region with subsequent vascular connection. After all stages were completed, ICG diagnostics confirmed that the transplanted area was supplied with blood and functioning.

The method has significant advantages: it is minimally traumatic because it is performed through small laparoscopic punctures and avoids the risk of complications, such as edema of the lower extremities. According to Evgeny Troshenkov, MD, Head of the Oncoplastic Surgery with Chemotherapy Department, this approach is actively used in the world’s leading clinics, including MD Anderson in the USA and medical centers in South Korea, where our specialists have been trained.

“We are proud that such advanced technologies are being implemented exactly in our Center. This opens up new opportunities to help patients suffering from complications of oncologic diseases,” said Andrey Kaprin, General Director of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre” (NMRRC) of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“World practice confirms the effectiveness of the lymph node transplantation method: patients experienced a higher overall quality of life with improvement of lymphedema symptoms, arm function and appearance, emphasizes Evgeny Troshenkov. The introduction of this technology is an important step forward, which not only changes the approach to the treatment of lymphedema, but also gives patients hope for a better quality of life”.

The successful implementation of this operation was made possible thanks to the professionalism of the Center’s team and the unique experience gained through close international cooperation.