Conservative therapy for postmastectomy lymphedema

133 patients with secondary arm lymphedema were followed for an average duration of more than 6 years. 92 randomised patients received a benzopyrone drug, 41 served as control. Differences of circumference and tissue tonometry were measured. In untreated patients the difference of circumference increased an average of 1 cm per year for the first 6 years and the average resistance to compression decreased 1 unit per year. In treated patients the average reduction of circumference was 0.5 cm per 10 months. In 18% of the patients there was no effect. Tonometry revealed the tissues to become softer at 1.2 units per month for the first 20 months of therapy. New pathophysiological concepts explaining the findings are given.