Lymphoedema in patients receiving palliative care

For patients with life-threatening illness and lymphoedema palliative care is applicable early in the course of illness.

The lymphoedema care must be timely and appropriate. For example, lymphedema in the palliative patient requires a modified treatment approach and a redefinition of the goals of care.

The aim of lymphoedema management is preserved function and comfort which can be continued until the last days of life.

Learning outcomes for this module:

• Understand what lymphoedema is and how it presents.
• Know what questions to ask in the history and what to look for in the examination when assessing a patient with limb swelling.
• Be able to give advice to patients with lymphoedema on the cause of the swelling and what management is available.

Acknowledgements

Written by Shona Walford, RN, LCP facilitator, Waipuna Hospice and modified by Professor Rod MacLeod, Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland. It was reviewed by Dr Hazel Fuiava (MBChB, DipPaeds).