Projects

Improved knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has resulted in an increased number of cancer survivors. Consequently, more patients are confronted, often life-long, with the complications of their cancer treatment. These chronic conditions impact daily functioning and quality of life (QoL), complicate the resumption of work and undermine psycho-social well-being. One of the most frequent and disabling complications is ...

In lymphedema swelling appears as a consequence of lymphatic system insufficiency and disturbance of the lymphatic transport.[1] The International Society of Lymphology[1], the Dutch Guideline for lymphedema[2] and the International Lymphedema framework[3] state that decongestive lymphatic therapy (DLT) is the first choice of treatment for lymphedema. This conservative treatment consists of two phases. The aim of the first phase or intensive ...

Lymphedema is a chronic, debilitating disorder characterized by abnormal tissue swelling, adipose deposition and/or tissue fibrosis. Advances in oncologic treatment have led to an ever-increasing number of cancer survivors over time. As a result, morbidities related to the treatment (such as lymphedema) are likely to increase too. In the scientific community there is a large discrepancy in the reporting of incidence and prevalence data of ...

Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease. It decreases patients quality of life not only because of the enlargement of the diseased limb but also because of the decreased mobility and recurrent infections. Lymphedema can be divided into primary and secondary lymphedema. In primary lymphedema there is an anomaly in the development of the lymphatic system. Secondary lymphedema, which is the majority, results from damage or ...

In the human body, the lymphatic system plays a crucial role in the immune system and the transport of fluid from within tissues (the interstitial space) back into the venous circulation. Failure of this system leads to lymphedema, causing a.o. swelling of tissues. Lymphedema is a very common complication of cancer treatment, and there is no cure. Therefore, in this project, we want to design and fabricate a novel implantable micropump for ...

The growing population of breast cancer survivors has resulted in an increased focus on management and early prevention of acute and chronic side-effects of cancer treatment like breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL). BCRL is a progressive condition that can result in chronic swelling of the arm with irreversible changes. BCRL can have a detrimental impact on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors, and often requires life-long ...

Although each patient with breast cancer-related lymphoema is treated through manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), there are doubts about the effectiveness of this treatment. This may be due to the fact that the classic MLD is applied to all lymph nodes present and lymph vessels. However, after the axillary dissection and/or radiotherapy, the lymphatic system is damaged and reorganization of the lymphatic system occurs. This reorganization is ...

Currently, almost all patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) receive manual lymph drainage (MLD) to treat the edema. Despite this worldwide application of MLD, different systematic reviews and meta-analyses conclude that there is no strong evidence about the effectiveness of lymph drainage to treat BCRL. Belgrado and colleagues developed a new and more efficient method of lymph drainage to improve lymph transport, i.e. ...

Lymphoedema is a chronic and often debilitating condition caused by lymphatic insufficiency. It leads to swelling of the limb and an increased risk of infection. It can be classified as primary (congenital) or secondary (acquired) lymphoedema.

Lymphoedema is very burdensome for the patient and therefore is it often associated with mental problems for example frustration and stress. In addition, because of the increase in volume of the ...