Surgical therapy of secondary elephantoid lymphedema of the eyelids

Because of the disfiguring changes they cause, prominent secondary lymphedemas of the face represent an extreme burden for afflicted patients. Many of these patients already have considerable restrictions imposed upon their quality of life as a consequence of the primary cancer therapy. Therapeutic options are often limited, mainly comprising physical therapy and pharmacological interventions. Only in exceptional cases is surgical therapy a treatment facility. We report the successful surgical treatment of a patient with secondary elephantoid lymphedema following primary radiochemotherapy for squamous cell cancer of the base of the tongue.