While all of the studies demonstrated a reduction in lymphoedema from the baseline to post treatment measures, none of the studies included a non-intervention group. One study found that a compression sleeve reduced lymphoedema compared with an information and advice only group. Given the variation in lymphoedema over time, these studies can only be seen as providing limited support for the value of compression techniques. Simpler elastic compression would appear to be as effective as more invasive measures. The aim of the therapy is to remove excess plasma proteins from the tissue.
Massage is light and in the direction of normal flow.
Five studies investigating the effectiveness of CPT or variants in reducing lymphoedema were located as shown in Table 7. All studies showed a pre-post treatment effect, and many reported changes were quite substantial. However, none of the studies included a control group and therefore the true magnitude of the treatment effect is unclear. Two studies investigating the impact of surgical techniques were located. Both studies showed an improvement following treatment among women with lymphoedema that had been unresponsive to other therapies.