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Yesantharao et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2022;9:60 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2022.67 Page 11 of 13
As previously described, nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds represent a viable physiologic therapy for secondary
lymphedema that is minimally invasive and does not require microsurgical technique. Further work should
investigate the relative cost-effectiveness of using these scaffolds in secondary lymphedema patients to
better understand their utility in high-volume lymphedema centers as well as their applicability to low-
resource settings. Additionally, understanding the cost-effectiveness of these scaffolds can help inform
reimbursement and coverage for these procedures, as acquired lymphedema remains a substantial
survivorship issue amongst cancer patients .
[32]
In conclusion, this article reviewed novel tissue engineering efforts for the treatment of secondary
lymphedema, with a particular focus on nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds. Overall, these scaffolds have
demonstrated promise in augmenting lymphangiogenesis upon both preclinical and clinical testing, and
they have been demonstrated to improve secondary lymphedema outcomes when used both preventatively
and therapeutically.
DECLARATIONS
Authors’ contributions
Contributed to conception and design, acquisition, analysis, interpretation of data, manuscript writing, and
final approval of manuscript: Yesantharao PS, Nguyen DH
Availability of data and materials
Study articles and data are available at reasonable request of the corresponding author.
Financial support and sponsorship
None.
Conflicts of interest
Dr. Dung H. Nguyen is the Principal Investigator of ongoing clinical trials of BioBridge in lymphedema
patients. Both authors declared that there are no conflicts of interest.
Ethical approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022.
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