Edema Courses

Chronic Edema and Lymphedema:

Assessment & Treatment Strategies

Course description:

Yesterday Joe was referred to you, and now Joe is sitting in your therapy clinic. She doesn’t know why she is referred, and is frustrated because she’s been to see several providers and no one has been able to help him. His history is incomplete, and all you know is he has pain and trouble walking due to swelling in his left leg. You want to help, but you aren’t sure where to start. You suspect lymphedema, but haven’t treated many patients with the condition to know for certain. Does this patient sound familiar? How do you determine if Joe is struggling with lymphatic issues, or if something else is going on? Dr. Andrea Brennan, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, WCC, has been in your shoes. She has successfully treated patients like Joe, using the latest clinical assessment and treatment strategies. Dr. Brennan will teach you how to quickly pinpoint lymphedema in your patients through effective patient assessment tools. Learn what key information is important in a patient history, and which tests, measurements and functional outcome measures to use. Through demonstrations and hands-on labs, Dr. Brennan will show you how compression can be a treatment strategy that you and your patients can effectively use to manage edema. Furthermore, for successful self-care, practical, decision-making strategies for the use of compression garments in lower limb lymphedema will be described.  Clear explanations guide the practitioner through the processes involved in treatment with compression garment: the decision to recommend garments; choosing the appropriate compression level; construction type and style; measuring; and checking and evaluation fit. Emphasis is placed on providing garments that takes a holistic view and accounts for all of the patient’s needs. Leave the day with a renewed confidence in your ability to assess for lymphedema and edema in your patients, techniques to treat these patients, and the latest research and outcome results.