Use of axillary vascular grafts in prophylactic lymphovenous bypass: technical challenges and lessons learned - Takeaways - MDSpire

Use of axillary vascular grafts in prophylactic lymphovenous bypass: technical challenges and lessons learned

  • By

  • Jorge Flores Garcia

  • J. Michael Smith

  • Ramin Rajaii

  • Emily L. Geisler

  • Roman J. Skoracki

  • Min-Jeong Cho

  • May 8, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

  • 1

    Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) affects approximately 20% of patients after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

  • 2

    Preventive lymphatic surgeries like prophylactic lymphovenous bypass (pLVB) can reduce BCRL risk but often face technical challenges.

  • 3

    In a study of 32 patients, axillary vascular grafts were successfully used to perform pLVB in vein-depleted axillae.

  • 4

    BCRL developed in 18.8% of patients, with a higher incidence linked to a greater number of lymph nodes removed.

  • 5

    Using axillary-based vascular grafting allows for effective lymphatic reconstruction without additional donor-site morbidity.

Original Source(s)

Use of axillary vascular grafts in prophylactic lymphovenous bypass: technical challenges and lessons learned

  • by Jorge Flores Garcia, J. Michael Smith, Ramin Rajaii, Emily L. Geisler, Roman J. Skoracki, Min-Jeong Cho

  • May 8, 2026

Related Content

When should you get a mammogram? Conflicting advice makes it hard to know

Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor regulates breast cancer cell adhesion through beta-1 integrin

A patient with triple-negative breast cancer developed acute myocardial infarction after docetaxel chemotherapy: case report and literature review