"CENTRO LINFEDEMA"
"Centro Linfedema" opened in Milan in 2018 in order to set a beacon for
all patients suffering from this disabling condition.
BENEFITS OF A SINGLE TREATMENT FACILITY
"Centro Linfedema" is one of the Europe's leading treatment centers for lymphedema-related care, with experts who reach across multiple medical disciplines and utilize best practices to offer the very best personalized therapies in a patient-focused environment.
This multidisciplinary approach enables these specialists to provide convenient access to high-class Internal Medicine Specialist, Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologist, rehabilitation therapists with special accreditation in lymphedema care and post- autologous lymph node transfer procedure (VLNT) treatment, psychological, dietary and nutritional support, MRL imaging (which provides a detailed look at the entire lymphatic system), vascular medicine and much more.
We combine our expertise to deliver targeted and tailored treatment on every patient to offer the most effective lyphedema care.
LYMPHEDEMA: A HIDDEN EPIDEMIC
Lymphedema is a
chronic disease characterized by the accumulation of lymphatic fluid
in the body, causing swelling. The chronic, progressive accumulation
of protein-rich fluid within the interstitium and the fibro-adipose
tissue formation exceeds the capacity of the lymphatic system to
transport the fluid, leading to skin and tissue changes.
Lymphedema
is either primary or secondary in nature:
- Primary lymphedema is caused by alterations (mutations) in genes responsible
for the development of the lymphatic vessels or nodes.
- Secondary lymphedema results from insult, injury, or obstruction to the
lymphatic system, primarily due to filariasis (90 million patients),
damage to the lymphatic system caused by malignancy, surgery, trauma,
infection or radiation therapy (10 million patients) leading to
obstruction or disruption of the system.
Limbs
are mostly affected, significantly affecting patients' quality of
life.
LYMPHATIC MRI
Lymphatic MRI, which totally replaced the obsolete lymphangiographic evaluations, can be used to diagnose lymphatic system anatomy and pathology, which can be used for diagnostic purposes or for pre- procedural planning.
LYMOHEDEMA SURGERY: LYMPHONOD TRANSPLANTATION
(ALNT or VLNT)
Vascularized
lymph node transfer (VLNT) surgery is a breakthrough in the treatment
of lymphedema. This technique aims to replace lost lymph nodes with
healthy ones.
VLNT
can tremendously improve drainage of lymph from an affected area and
decrease the need for compression garment use and lymphedema therapy.
INDOCYANINE GREEN (ICG) LYMPHOANGIOGRAPHY
Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphoangiography is a relatively new of several methods to detect lymphatic channels and evaluate patients clinically with limb lymphedema. ICG imaging is made possible by ICG uptake by the lymphatics, and can therefore be used to map lymphatic function using a special near infra-red camera device.
ICG imaging is performed by injecting indocyanine green into the interdigital web spaces and then monitoring flow of protein bound dye in the superficial lymphatic channels below the dermis. Near infrared cameras are used to detect the fluorescence from protein bound, allowing real time visualization of lymphatic flow without any exposure to radiation.
ICG is considered remakably useful in planning surgical options for lymphedema and especially useful for intraoperative planning during various physiological and ablative procedures.
ICG lymphography is a very safe technique. Allergic reactions to ICG are very rare in general and no episodes of allergic reactions have ever been reported following the low dose subcutaneous injections used for ICG lymphography.
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WHERE TO FIND US
CENTRO LINFEDEMA
Via Quadronno 29
Milano
20122
Italia
Opening hours
Monday - Friday 8.30 - 18.00
Saturday 8.30 - 13.00