A new study published yesterday suggests that the anti-inflammatory drug known as ketoprofen may treat some symptoms of lymphedema. Is the hype justified? You can read the primary research article for yourself here (ref1), or read the accompanying press release from Stanford Medicine here. But don’t head off to read the…
Eiger BioPharmaceuticals published a press release yesterday announcing that their ULTRA Phase 2 clinical trial investigating Ubenimex for lymphedema did not achieve their endpoints, and that they would not be pursuing additional clinical trials at this time. The ULTRA trial was designed to evaluate the possibility that the drug known…
We are still waiting for research to give us a more complete picture of what causes lipedema, and so not surprisingly, we are also still waiting for a cure. But in the meantime lipedema treatment options exist that can help you control your symptoms and prevent progression to lipo-lymphedema, an advanced stage…
Lymphedema (also known as “lymphoedema”) is a chronic disease, but with proper education, prevention practices, and management techniques, patients can learn to prevent flare-ups and manage their symptoms. Yes, lymphedema is compatible with an active and healthy lifestyle! In this post we will discuss the basics of this condition, including do’s…
Lipedema (or “lipoedema”) is a chronic condition that causes an abnormal accumulation of fat in specific areas of the body. This fat is accompanied by fluid swelling and other changes that may eventually culminate in lipo-lymphedema. Individuals with lipedema are often misdiagnosed as simply being overweight, or their condition is…
Who offers the best physiotherapy in Toronto? Or anywhere else for that matter? I know lots of therapists who are great at what they do (including my lovely wife), but I’ll never meet the best physiotherapist in Toronto (sorry Lindsay) – because the best physiotherapist for me and my needs…
Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massage is frequently recommended by plastic surgeons during the recovery phase following cosmetic liposuction. This specialized form of massage is generally believed to decrease recovery time and improve results, by reducing post-surgical swelling and fibrosis (scar tissue formation). But is manual lymphatic drainage after liposuction really…
Primary and secondary lymphedema in children is relatively rare, but carries with it the significant and lifelong burden of having to manage chronic swelling and prevent secondary complications. Here I describe pediatric lymphedema (also called ‘paediatric lymphoedema’), and the special considerations for diagnosis, ongoing monitoring, treatment, and complications. The majority of patients…
A tantalizing new study by a Canadian group recently caught my eye. The authors’ conclusion: “Submental liposuction is an effective and safe procedure to improve the quality of life for head and neck cancer patients suffering from post-treatment lymphedema.” So should we be recommending liposuction for head and neck lymphedema?…
A specialized form of liposuction for lymphedema has been successfully used to treat advanced cases of lymphedema for decades. Despite this success, it remains a poorly understood and uncommon surgical treatment for advanced lymphedema. Lymphedema is a chronic swelling condition characterized by an excessive accumulation of lymph fluid, most often…
