Treatment-associated outcomes—postoperative swelling
swelling
MLD
We witnessed a generalized increase in the circumference of the affected limb postoperatively. The maximum swelling in the NP group was present within the first 2 days after surgery whereby it showed that the landmarks of the elbow joint, ten cm below it and around the wrist were the most affected localizations of swelling (plus five–six% compared to preoperatively). After day three, swelling decreased continuously.In the MLD group, the maximum swelling was present on the second postoperative day with the elbow joint and ten cm below it being most affected (plus seven% compared to preoperatively) and decreased in the following days.Reduction of swelling tended to be better in the NP group as maximum circumferences (landmarks of the elbow joint and ten cm below it) were decreased to plus 0.8% and plus one%, respectively on day five after surgery compared to preoperatively (plus two% (elbow joint) and plus three% (ten cm below it) in the MLD group), (Fig. Circumference measured in [cm] at day zero (preoperative) till day six at the level of the elbow joint: There were no statistically significant differences found between the two methods. The horizontal line in the middle of each box indicates the median; the top and bottom borders of the box mark the 75th and 25th percentiles, respectively, the whiskers mark the min and max and the circles mark outliers. NP group: Circumference measured in [cm] at day 0 (preoperative) till day 6 at hand level: Significant (