Outpatient Rehabilitation

Lymphedema Program

Lymphedema is a swelling of the soft tissues, usually in the leg and ankle, or in the arm and hand, resulting from the buildup of lymphatic fluid. Lymphedema may be primary or, more commonly, secondary to surgery or radiation treatment.

Carrie Marcil, PT, outpatient rehabilitation supervisor, says that until recently, the majority of her patients were breast cancer survivors who had developed the condition in their arms and hands. Now, thanks to a heightened awareness on the part of surgeons and oncologists, breast cancer patients are being educated in aggressive preventive techniques, which can curtail the development of lymphedema.

Lymphedema may also develop in the legs and feet, often secondary to abdominal or groin surgery. In either case, treatment is the same. Left untreated, the condition can become severe, painful, disfiguring and resistant to treatment. At the first sign of lymphedema, patients should be referred for treatment because early diagnosis and treatment significantly improves the prognosis.

The specially trained physical and occupational therapists at The Miriam use an intensely “hands-on” approach to treat lymphedema. They reduce the volume of the edema and restore the range of motion to affected joints with complete decongestive therapy or CDT. Each patient’s treatment is carefully and individually tailored.

Treatment includes:

• Manual lymphatic massage to gently direct fluid away from the impaired lymphatic areas
• Compression bandaging to help prevent fluid from returning to swollen areas
• Compression pump therapy to facilitate fluid movement toward the heart
• Compression garments to maintain reduced limb size
• Exercise to keep the joints limber
• Patient education, including information about skin care, to help patients understand the cause and appropriate treatment

Patients can be referred to the program at the outpatient rehabilitation center by any clinician who identifies the condition, typically primary care physicians, oncologists and surgeons.

For more information, please feel free to call Carrie Marcil at 401-793-4081 or email her at cmarcil@lifespan.org.

• More about the Lymphedema Program
• Referrals

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