Lymphostasis can occur at different intervals after mastectomy, even months or years later. It can be temporary (reversible) if it appears immediately after surgery and disappears quickly with the use of compression sleeves.
Sometimes lymph stasis in the arm occurs later - 1-1.5 months after the removal of the breast. Such lymphostasis surgeons call subacute. It is characterized by denser swelling and soreness of tissues, but when wearing compression sleeves can be achieved to restore the normal outflow of lymph.
If the swelling occurs 1.5-2 years after mastectomy, we are talking about chronic lymphedema. It is much more difficult to cope with it.
The main symptoms of lymphostasis:- swelling of the arm (at the beginning of the disease, it appears closer to the evening, and disappears in the morning) and painful sensations;
- redness and thickening of the skin;
- fibrotic changes in the skin, deformation of the hand (this stage of lymphedema is called elephantiasis).