Recent guidelines published by the
Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team (CREST) provide further support
for the use of bioimpedance technology for the early assessment of
lymphedema.
The published guidelines for Northern Ireland titled "Guidelines for
the Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of Lymphoedema" are the result of
an expert panel including patients and healthcare professionals that
reviewed the evidence for diagnosing, assessing and treating lymphedema.
The guidelines support the need for a shift in treatment focus from a
reactive approach to one focused on the early assessment and early
intervention of the condition. Bioimpedance technology featuring high
sensitivity and specificity support this approach.
This surveillance method of diagnosis and treatment reflects
recommendations recently published online in the journal Cancer, the
official journal of the American Cancer Society.
About Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a condition that can cause significant swelling of the
upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid. This
can occur when the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining
excess fluid from the body and is a key component of the immune system, is
damaged or altered. In breast cancer patients, this can occur after
surgery, such as removal or biopsy of the lymph nodes, and/or radiation
therapy. It is estimated that 6 percent to 40 percent of patients with
breast cancer develop lymphedema, and that it often occurs within the first
two years after surgery. For some cancer survivors and others at risk, a
low level lymphedema can occur 10 years to 15 years following the initial
primary treatment and develop into a condition that has a serious impact on
overall health and quality of life. For more information about lymphedema,
visit
nci.nih/cancerinfo/pdq/supportivecare/lymphedema/patient.
About ImpediMed
ImpediMed is the world leader in the development and distribution of
medical devices employing Bioimpedence Spectroscopy (BIS) technologies for
use in non-invasive screening and monitoring of human disorders and
diseases. ImpediMed's primary product range consists of a number of medical
devices that enable surgeons, oncologists and radiation oncologists to
detect early onset secondary lymphedema in breast cancer survivors, before
the onset of symptoms that are detectable using the most commonly used
clinical technique, and before the condition becomes a matter of lifelong
management and impairs the quality of life of the cancer survivor.
ImpediMed has the only medical BIS device with FDA clearance in the United
States for the clinical assessment by health care providers of secondary
lymphedema of the arm. For more information, visit impedimed.
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