DISARTICULATION OF THE LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY FOR TREATMENT OF GIANT PRIMARY LYMPHEDEMA – CASE REPORT

Abstract

This unusually rare case of giant primary lymphedema of the left upper extremity in a 21-year old woman, who had undergone five surgical procedures (two Charles’ procedures andthree partial resections) without lasting clinical improvement, demonstrates the difficulty inachieving satisfactory long-term results in patients with grotesquely huge extremities secondaryto primary lymphedema. Disarticulation of the left upper extremity was felt to be the mostappropriate surgical option in this severe congenital lymphedema patient.