The use of subatmospheric pressure dressing therapy to close lymphocutaneous fistulas of the groin

Groin lymphorrhea is an uncommon but serious complication of vascular and c ardiac surgery as well as interventional procedures that cannulate the femo ral vessels. Treatment options are somewhat controversial. For lymphocutane ous fistulas, a commonly used current modality is early surgical ligation w ith the assistance of blue-dye staining of the lymphatic anatomy. The purpo se of this case series is to give the first description of a new, less inva sive, approach using subatmospheric pressure dressing therapy for the treat ment of the challenging problem of lymphocutaneous fistulas of the groin. ( C) 2000 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.