Single-Malt Whisky Versus Cocktail? Approaches to Surgical Lymphedema Management

Abstract

Lymphedema is a chronic, dynamic, and multifaceted disease that is effectively treated by surgery. However, there is a lack of consensus in the field about the ideal technique; is it better to perform one surgery type at a time (the "single-malt whisky" approach), or combine different procedures in a single surgery (the "cocktail" approach)? Here, we review advances in these opposing camps, compare outcomes, and discuss potential paradigm shifts in the surgical treatment of lymphedema.

Keywords: combined surgical treatment; liposuction; lymphedema; lymphovenous anastomosis; vascularized lymph node transfer.