Secondary lymphoedema – causes, diagnosis and treatment

This chronic condition is potentially distressing for patients. Margaret Perry explains what nurses working in primary care need to know about diagnosis and management of this condition. Lymphoedema is a long-term chronic disease which can have a devastating effect on the affected persons quality of life. The condition can be classified as primary or secondary, the latter being the commonest type. This article will therefore focus on secondary lymphoedema and will look at causes, diagnosis, treatment and complications, with the hope that the information given will give nurses and non-medical prescribers more confidence in assessing patients presenting with symptoms of this unpleasant disease.