At BIDMC, patients who are at increased risk of lymphedema are evaluated before they undergo cancer treatment. For example, a measurement before surgery is important to establish your “normal” level of lymph fluid so that any increase after cancer treatment can be identified early.
As part of the pre-surgical process, your doctor will send an order for physical therapy through the online medical record system. Your appointment will be coordinated with your other pre-operative appointments.
At the first meeting, a physical therapist takes measurements of your fluid level, height, weight, limb size and limb movement. BIDMC has advanced technology that can detect even small increases in lymph fluid—even before swelling is visible.
After cancer treatment, follow-up visits at our Lymphedema Clinic are scheduled in three- to six-month intervals, depending on your risk for lymphedema. This ensures that we can detect any increase in lymph fluid levels before symptoms develop. The earlier lymphedema is detected, the more effective are additional interventions, such as compression or massage.
If you already have lymphedema, we will take baseline measurements of your arm or leg during your first visit at the Lymphedema Clinic. Then we will develop a personalized treatment plan and schedule follow-up visits as needed to monitor your recovery.