28.11.2012 Views

best practice for the management of lymphoedema ... - EWMA

best practice for the management of lymphoedema ... - EWMA

best practice for the management of lymphoedema ... - EWMA

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Palliative care<br />

The needs <strong>of</strong> patients with <strong>lymphoedema</strong> who<br />

are o<strong>the</strong>rwise ill with advanced disease and<br />

who require palliative care can be complex.<br />

This document can provide only an indication<br />

<strong>of</strong> supportive measures and treatments that<br />

may be helpful.<br />

Lymphoedema can produce distressing<br />

and debilitating symptoms that affect<br />

lifestyle and function. Patients with<br />

advanced disease may not be able to<br />

tolerate a full programme <strong>of</strong> assessment<br />

and treatment, but require a palliative<br />

approach in which assessment techniques<br />

are modified and individual treatments are<br />

selected to ease specific symptoms (Box 37<br />

and Table 9).<br />

TABLE 9 Management <strong>of</strong> <strong>lymphoedema</strong> in patients with palliative care needs<br />

Problem<br />

Unable to tolerate full<br />

assessment procedures<br />

Fragile or dry skin<br />

Discom<strong>for</strong>t in a swollen limb<br />

Swollen limb due to<br />

dependency or inactivity, or<br />

mainly venous oedema <strong>of</strong><br />

lower limbs with no truncal<br />

oedema<br />

Severe limb or digit swelling<br />

Swelling <strong>of</strong> scrotum and/or<br />

penis<br />

Swelling <strong>of</strong> female genitalia<br />

Truncal oedema<br />

Lymphorrhoea<br />

Loss <strong>of</strong> independence and<br />

restricted mobility<br />

Intervention<br />

BOX 37 Guide to selection <strong>of</strong> treatment in advanced disease<br />

PALLIATIVE<br />

CARE<br />

■ Ascertain type and cause <strong>of</strong> oedema, and contributory factors<br />

■ Identify levels <strong>of</strong> symptoms such as pain<br />

■ Establish significance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> swelling to <strong>the</strong> patient and consider patient<br />

circumstances and perspective<br />

■ Establish realistic goals<br />

■ Consider response to treatment<br />

■ Use modified monitoring and limb volume measurement techniques<br />

■ Maintain skin integrity – refer to skin <strong>management</strong> guidance<br />

■ Reduced compression MLLB with modification to materials used<br />

■ Low pressure compression garments<br />

■ Good skin care and guidance on limb positioning<br />

■ Gentle passive or active exercises<br />

■ Reduced compression MLLB<br />

■ Low pressure compression garment<br />

■ IPC<br />

■ Refer to physio<strong>the</strong>rapist<br />

■ Good skin care<br />

■ Reduced compression MLLB with modification to materials used<br />

■ Close-fitting shorts with Lycra to provide scrotal support<br />

■ Custom made garments and scrotal support <strong>for</strong> use by ambulant patients<br />

■ Scrotal bandaging<br />

■ Teach SLD<br />

■ Lycra shorts with 1cm thick anatomically contoured foam pads<br />

■ Flat knit custom made shorts with foam pads<br />

■ Compression tights with localised padding<br />

■ Teach SLD<br />

■ MLD by practitioner with training at specialist level<br />

■ Teach SLD<br />

■ Supportive garments, eg bodice or bra <strong>for</strong> com<strong>for</strong>t<br />

■ Good skin care and guidance on limb positioning<br />

■ Modified reduced compression MLLB<br />

■ Teach self care measures<br />

■ Teach SLD<br />

■ Refer to occupational <strong>the</strong>rapist or physio<strong>the</strong>rapist as required<br />

■ Appropriate psychological intervention<br />

■ Low classification compression garments or shaped tubigrip if compression garments not tolerated<br />

BEST PRACTICE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LYMPHOEDEMA 49

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!