Lymphaticovenular anastomosis for recurrent cellulitis in a dementia patient with lymphedema

• Main Authors: Shuhei Yoshida, MD, PhD, Isao Koshima, MD, PhD, Hirofumi Imai, MD, Ayano Sasaki, MD, Shogo Nagamatsu, MD, PhD, Kazunori Yokota, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-09-01
• Series: Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques
• Subjects: Lymphedema; Cellulitis; Lymphaticovenular anastomosis; Dementia
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468428720300939
• ISSN: 2468-4287

We describe a dementia patient with comorbid recurrent cellulitis and lymphedema in the left lower limb who was treated successfully for recurrent cellulitis by lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA). The patient, an 83-year-old woman, suffered from recurrent cellulitis three times a year on average for 15 years. Compression therapy was impossible because of dementia. After LVA, there has been no recurrence of cellulitis for 2 years.It is difficult to administer decongestive lymphatic therapy in some patients, such as patients with dementia. LVA is a promising treatment for recurrent cellulitis in a dementia patient with lymphedema.