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Published Guidelines Further Support Use of Bioimpedance Measurement Technology for Early Assessment of Lymphedema

Posted on: Thursday, 12 June 2008, 09:00 CDT

SAN DIEGO, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent guidelines published by the Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team (CREST) provide further support for the use of bioimpedance technology for the early assessment of lymphedema.

The published guidelines for Northern Ireland titled "Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of Lymphoedema" are the result of an expert panel including patients and healthcare professionals that reviewed the evidence for diagnosing, assessing and treating lymphedema.

The guidelines support the need for a shift in treatment focus from a reactive approach to one focused on the early assessment and early intervention of the condition. Bioimpedance technology featuring high sensitivity and specificity support this approach.

This surveillance method of diagnosis and treatment reflects recommendations recently published online in the journal Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society.

To view the published guidelines online, please visit http://www.crestni.org.uk/crest_guidelines_on_the_diagnosis__assessment_and_ma nagement_of_lymphoedema.pdf. (Due to the length of the link, please copy and paste into your browser.)

About Lymphedema

Lymphedema is a condition that can cause significant swelling of the upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid. This can occur when the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining excess fluid from the body and is a key component of the immune system, is damaged or altered. In breast cancer patients, this can occur after surgery, such as removal or biopsy of the lymph nodes, and/or radiation therapy. It is estimated that 6 percent to 40 percent of patients with breast cancer develop lymphedema, and that it often occurs within the first two years after surgery. For some cancer survivors and others at risk, a low level lymphedema can occur 10 years to 15 years following the initial primary treatment and develop into a condition that has a serious impact on overall health and quality of life. For more information about lymphedema, visit http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/supportivecare/lymphedema/patient/.

About ImpediMed

ImpediMed is the world leader in the development and distribution of medical devices employing Bioimpedence Spectroscopy (BIS) technologies for use in non-invasive screening and monitoring of human disorders and diseases. ImpediMed's primary product range consists of a number of medical devices that enable surgeons, oncologists and radiation oncologists to detect early onset secondary lymphedema in breast cancer survivors, before the onset of symptoms that are detectable using the most commonly used clinical technique, and before the condition becomes a matter of lifelong management and impairs the quality of life of the cancer survivor. ImpediMed has the only medical BIS device with FDA clearance in the United States for the clinical assessment by health care providers of secondary lymphedema of the arm. For more information, visit http://www.impedimed.com/.

Contacts: Wendy Lau or David Schull Russo Partners LLC (212) 845-4272 wendy.lau@russopartnersllc.com david.schull@russopartnersllc.com

ImpediMed

CONTACT: Wendy Lau, wendy.lau@russopartnersllc.com, or David Schull,david.schull@russopartnersllc.com, both of Russo Partners LLC,+1-212-845-4272

Web site: http://www.impedimed.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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