Tissue Tonometry Before and After Liposuction of Arm Lymphedema Following Breast Cancer

Abstract

The tonometer could register postoperative changes in tissue tonicity in the upper arm, but not in the forearm, which also showed significantly higher absolute values. Probably this is caused by the high adipose tissue content with little or no free fluid, thus resembling the normal arm in tonicity. Possibly also the thinner subcutaneous tissue in the forearm plays a role. Tonometry can differentiate if a lymphedematous arm that is softer or harder than the normal one. A harder swelling is dominated by adipose tissue and can be treated with liposuction, while the softer one is treated conservatively.