A novel combined approach of stromal vascular fraction gel grafting and liposuction for postmastectomy upper extremity lymphedema: A prospective study.

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Conventional therapies for postmastectomy upper extremity lymphedema often provide limited and temporary relief, especially in advanced cases. Although surgical interventions such as liposuction have improved outcomes, combining regenerative cell-based strategies with surgical volume reduction has not been systematically evaluated. This prospective study assessed the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of combining stromal vascular fraction (SVF)-gel grafting with liposuction, targeting physical debulking and lymphatic regeneration in breast cancer-related upper extremity lymphedema. In this prospective, single-arm exploratory study, 12 patients with stage II or III breast cancer-related upper extremity lymphedema underwent liposuction followed by SVF-gel transplantation. The primary endpoint was change in excess arm volume at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included symptom severity, quality of life (QoL; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH] and Lymphedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire [LYMQOL] questionnaires), incidence of cellulitis, and reliance on compression therapy. Safety was monitored throughout. Statistical analyses included repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni corrections, Wilcoxon, and multi-linear regression to compare changes from baseline and identify factors influencing arm volume. At 12 months, the combined intervention achiev

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

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