AIM: The aims of this prospective study were (a) to examine the relationship between pre-operative muscle lymph flow and the predisposition to BCRL in @entity1 treated by axillary nodal surgery for @entity0 ; and (b) to test the 'stopcock' hypothesis that axillary lymph node surgery impairs forearm lymph flow in the short term. METHODS: (99m)Tc-nanocoll was injected intramuscularly into both forearms of @entity1 undergoing surgery for @entity0 . Lymphatic clearance rate constant, k, representing lymph flow per unit interstitial fluid volume, was measured as the fractional disappearance rate of radioactivity from the depot site by gamma camera imaging. Axillary lymph node activity was calculated as percentage injected activity. BCRL was assessed by clinical examination and upper limb perometry. RESULTS: Of 38 pre-operative @entity1 , 33 attended at 8      6 weeks post-operatively and 31  at 58      9 weeks post-operatively. Seven @entity1 (18%) developed BCRL. Prior to surgery the BCRL-destined @entity1 had a higher mean k (0.0962      0.034%/min) than non-BCRL @entity1 (0.0830      0.019%/min) (p  =  0.10, unpaired t test). Post-operative k values were not significantly different from pre-operative, in either the ipsilateral (operated) or contralateral limb. Also, post-operative k values did not differ significantly between both upper limbs. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between pre- and post-operative axillary activity. CONCLUSION: @entity1 who develop BCRL have high lymph flow pre-surgery, which may predispose them to lymphatic overload and failure. Axillary lymph node surgery has no early, measurable effect on forearm muscle lymph flow despite surgical disruption of routes of lymph drainage.

A constitutional predisposition to XXXX -related lymphoedema and effect of axillary lymph node surgery on forearm muscle lymph flow.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'women', 'Patients'] @entity0 :: ('MESH:D001943', 'Disease') :: ['breast cancer']
@entity0 :: (MESH:D001943,Disease) :: ['breast cancer']
