Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC Adopts L-Dex® Testing for Lymphedema Prevention Program

BRISBANE, Australia and PITTSBURGH, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- ImpediMed Limited and Magee-Womens Hospital (Magee) of UMPC today jointly announced Magee's plan to utilize ImpedMed's L-Dex® technology in its newly-launched Lymphedema Screening, Early Detection and Prevention Program (LESEP). The L-Dex technology serves as an aid in the clinical assessment of breast cancer patients at risk of developing lymphedema.  

The program, under the direction of Atilla Soran, M.D., M.P.H., professor of surgery with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a practicing surgeon with Magee-Womens Surgical Associates, will incorporate a prospective model of care with pre-surgical baseline testing and quarterly surveillance of patients in order to identify early onset of lymphedema, which is the most effective time to treat the disease.

"The progressive nature of lymphedema mandates that we utilize emerging technologies to identify and treat the disease as early as possible," said Dr. Soran, who initiated a specialized clinic in 2005 to provide assessment, consultation and treatment to patients with lymphedema. "Since there is no cure for lymphedema, risk identification and prevention are key. The bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technology used in L-Dex assessment has been shown to be very sensitive in detecting the fluid changes characteristic of early stage lymphedema. Together with patient education and other advances in treatment, our program will provide breast cancer patients with state-of-the-art care to protect their quality of life while lowering the financial cost of treating lymphedema."

Magee is being recognized as an inaugural member of ImpediMed's new U.S. Lymphedema Centers of Excellence Program.  ImpediMed's Centers of Excellence Program will recognize and collaborate with academic medical institutions across the U.S. in establishing a pre-emptive model of lymphedema care utilizing its cleared medical device.

"We are excited to see a highly respected academic center such as Magee adopt BIS as the core assessment methodology in its Lymphedema Program," said Greg Brown, CEO of ImpediMed. "This provides validation of the pre-emptive model of care through the incorporation of a standardized and objective metric for aiding in the clinical assessment of extracellular fluid volume differences between the arms of female breast cancer patients. We applaud Magee's initiative to address this important aspect of survivorship and welcome them among our first Centers of Excellence."

Magee sees nearly 2,700 new cancer patients per year, 90 percent of which are breast cancer, gynecologic cancer and melanoma patients.

Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive condition that can lead to a swollen limb deformity caused by the obstruction to the flow of lymphatic fluid.  More than 20 percent of cancer patients who have lymph node dissections or receive radiation therapy to their lymph nodes are at risk for developing lymphedema. In the United States, the highest incidence of lymphedema occur following breast cancer surgery, with between six and 30 percent of patients developing some degree of surgery site upper extremity lymphedema.  Some patients experience symptoms of swelling immediately following surgery or radiation while others do not experience symptoms for weeks, months, or even years. Worldwide, it is estimated that there are 140 to 250 million cases of lymphedema.

About UPMC

UPMC is an $8 billion global health enterprise with almost 50,000 employees headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is transforming health care by integrating 20 hospitals, 400 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, a health insurance services division, and international and commercial services. Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC is redefining health care by using innovative science, technology and medicine to invent new models of accountable, cost-efficient and patient-centered care. For more information on how UPMC is taking medicine from where it is to where it needs to be, go to www.upmc.com.  

About ImpediMed

ImpediMed Ltd. is the world leader in the development and distribution of medical devices employing bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technologies for use in the non-invasive clinical assessment and monitoring of fluid status. ImpediMed's primary product range consists of a number of medical devices that aid surgeons, oncologists, therapists and radiation oncologists in the clinical assessment of patients for the potential onset of secondary lymphedema. Pre-operative clinical assessment in breast cancer survivors, before the onset of symptoms, may prevent the condition from becoming a lifelong management issue and thus improve the quality of life of the cancer survivor.  ImpediMed has the first medical device with an FDA clearance in the United States to aid health care professionals, clinically assess secondary lymphedema of the arm in female breast cancer patients. The device is not intended to diagnose or predict lymphedema of an extremity.

For more information, visit www.impedimed.com.

SOURCE ImpediMed Limited