Although it is an underused procedure, the Charles procedure presents a viable means of limb salvage for severe lymphedema. We present a multidisciplinary approach with excellent patient outcomes in a series of six patients.

The Charles procedure continues to have clinical utility in modern lymphedema treatment. Despite potential risks, it can be done successfully with proper planning and careful attention to technical details; it can be life changing for patients suffering from most extreme lymphedema.

What is a modified Charles’ Procedure? A modified Charles’ Procedure is a more extensive surgery done to reduce the size of the limb with lymphedema. During this procedure, the soft tissue in the area with the worst lymphedema is removed through a long incision.

Charles procedure (skin grafts): Affected tissue is removed and your surgeon uses part of it as skin grafts to repair the area. Skin grafts require more extensive care of the surgical site after your procedure, and it can take up to one month to return to normal activity.

May 3, 2023 · We describe our technique for radical debulking of the lower extremity for the treatment of severe end-stage lymphedema. The first surgical management of lymphedema was described by Sir Richard Henry Havelock Charles, 1 who published his series of 140 consecutive cases for the treatment of scrotal filariasis.

Over the past 9 years, 25 patients with lymphedema have been successfully managed by staged subcutaneous excision beneath flaps. This procedure safely provides consistent reduction in size, improvement in function and very satisfactory esthetic results.

Of 5 studies that evaluated reductive procedures such as liposuction and radical excision (Charles procedure), 3 found reductions in volume and/or circumference [22, 24, 37]. One SR that looked strictly at liposuction for lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) found > 50% volume reduction in all patients that persisted up to 5 years in some studies ...

Dec 31, 2016 · Procedure: Charles procedure. Indications. This is an X-year-old male/female presenting with advanced upper/lower limb lymphedema resistant to conservative and physiologic surgical measure. As the last option, the patient is a good candidate for ablative surgery . Description of the Procedure

Jan 4, 2024 · In sub-Saharan Africa, where patients often present in advanced stages, resectional techniques such as the Charles procedure become the sole option. This case report illustrate the staged surgical approach to address extensive lower limb lymphedema through the utilization of the Charles procedure.

The Charles procedure (CP) is a potentially devastating treatment; however, in cases of an end stage of untreated or improperly treated lymphedema, it is the ultimate surgical therapy. As a life-saving solution, it quickly relieves patients with giant, hypertrophic extremities, mostly in ambulation and hygiene maintenance.