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Efficacy and safety of far infrared radiation in lymphedema treatment: clinical evaluation and laboratory analysis

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Abstract

Swelling is the most common symptom of extremities lymphedema. Clinical evaluation and laboratory analysis were conducted after far infrared radiation (FIR) treatment on the main four components of lymphedema: fluid, fat, protein, and hyaluronan. Far infrared radiation is a kind of hyperthermia therapy with several and additional benefits as well as promoting microcirculation flow and improving collateral lymph circumfluence. Although FIR therapy has been applied for several years on thousands of lymphedema patients, there are still few studies that have reported the biological effects of FIR on lymphatic tissue. In this research, we investigate the effects of far infrared rays on the major components of lymphatic tissue. Then, we explore the effectiveness and safety of FIR as a promising treatment modality of lymphedema. A total of 32 patients affected by lymphedema in stage II and III were treated between January 2015 and January 2016 at our department. After therapy, a significant decrease of limb circumference measurements was noted and improving of quality of life was registered. Laboratory examination showed the treatment can also decrease the deposition of fluid, fat, hyaluronan, and protein, improving the swelling condition. We believe FIR treatment could be considered as both an alternative monotherapy and a useful adjunctive to the conservative or surgical lymphedema procedures. Furthermore, the real and significant biological effects of FIR represent possible future applications in wide range of the medical field.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

      Ke Li, Zheng Zhang, Ning Fei Liu, Shao Qing Feng & Yi Xin Zhang

    2. Department of Medical Cosmetology Surgery, Jinhua People’s Hospital, Jinhua, China

      Yun Tong

    3. Department of Medical Cosmetology Surgery, Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China

      Ju Fang Zhang

    4. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Guy’s and Saint Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

      Joannis Constantinides & Fabio Nicoli

    5. Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Villa Salaria Clinic, Rome, Italy

      Davide Lazzeri & Fabio Nicoli

    6. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy

      Davide Lazzeri & Luca Grassetti

    7. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy

      Fabio Nicoli

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    1. Ke Li
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    2. Zheng Zhang
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    Correspondence to Ju Fang Zhang or Yi Xin Zhang.

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    Human and animal rights and informed consent

    All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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    Ke Li, Zheng Zhang, Luca Grassetti and Fabio Nicoli contributed equally to this work.

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    Li, K., Zhang, Z., Liu, N.F. et al. Efficacy and safety of far infrared radiation in lymphedema treatment: clinical evaluation and laboratory analysis. Lasers Med Sci 32, 485–494 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-2135-0

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-2135-0

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