The Institut Bordet Lymphology Clinic brings together doctors and paramedical professionals who offer a structured, multidisciplinary response to lymphatic disorders and to questions about the lymphatic system that certain cancer patients may ask.
The Clinic also offers its services to individuals with primary lymphoedema, lipolymphoedema and secondary lymphoedema following trauma or infection.
A number of specialist doctors with broad practical experience of these problems offer consultations which can lead first to proposals for further investigation, followed by the option of a range of therapeutic approaches and their implementation.
• Consultation for secondary lymphoedema (“big arm”, “elephantiasis”, etc)
At this consultation patients are seen with no predetermined therapy in mind and their oedema is assessed in a reasoned and scientific manner. A range of approaches (surgery, physical therapy and kinesiotherapy, etc) designed to reduce lymphoedema are available and can be used in combination. Patients are guided towards appropriate health professionals as required and therapeutic monitoring is put in place.
• Preventive consultation for secondary lymphoedema
Patients who are concerned about these complications can consult the lymphology team. Their risk can be assessed and techniques put in place to reduce this risk and/or define it better. In every case, patients are given advice to help avoid these complications.
• Consultation for lymphoedema and primary lymphatic disease
Patients of any age who present with a primary lymphatic condition, lymphoedema, oedema or any other clinical symptom that suggests a disease of the lymphatic system can also consult the Lymphology Clinic.
• Intensive physiotherapy treatment for lymphoedema
The Lymphology Clinic also offers patients with lymphoedema intensive, personalised physical treatment. On average, excess volume is reduced by a third after a few sessions.
• A care “network”
The Lymphology Clinic guides patients to the best medical and paramedical specialists for the administration of certain treatments.
The Institut Bordet Lymphology Clinic fulfils a number of roles:
- answering patients’ questions;
- offering opinions, advice, new techniques and approaches designed to optimise therapy and diagnosis of the lymphatic system and/or help reduce the risks associated with certain treatments;
- developing and implementing the latest techniques and structured research programmes.
The Lymphology Clinic is also available to doctors and paramedical professionals who wish to acquire new skills or enhance their knowledge. Structured training is offered.
The Lymphology Clinic’s responsibilities are as follows:
- to welcome and supervise students (doctors and paramedics) on internships and/or writing their dissertations;
- to welcome physiotherapists who can visit the Clinic with their patients and have their practice assessed by means of lymphoscintigraphic and/or lymphofluoroscopic imaging;
- to organise structured training;
- to engage with national and international research groups.
Our team
Coordinator
- Romain Barbieux, physiotherapist
Medical and paramedical associates
- Dr Géraldine Gebhart, deputy head of clinic, Nuclear Medicine
- Dr Mariana-Mirela Roman, resident in Breast and Pelvic Surgery
- Prof. Yves Libert, psychologist coordinator for the Institut Bordet Psycho-Oncology Clinic
- Anne Dejonghe, nurse, Rehabilitation Unit, Psycho-Oncology and Supportive Care
- Michel Hardy, Head of the Physiotherapy Department
Physiotherapists specialising in preventive and physiotherapy-based approaches to lymphoedema
- Frédérique Bernard
- Julie Dewilde
- Sandrine Darc
- Audrey Gobillard
- Geoffroy Janssens
- Hugues Vas
Dietitian
National Consultants
Professors Nele Adriaenssens, Albert and Olivier Leduc, Steven Provijn (PhD in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation), Drs Guido Giacalone, Denis Munck and Assaf Zeltzer (surgeons specialising in certain microsurgical approaches to lymphoedema), etc.
Foreign Consultants
The Lymphology Clinic also calls on the expertise of internationally renowned specialists for advice and opinions:
- surgeons such as Drs Baumeister (Munich, Germany), Becker (Paris, New York), Boccardo (Genoa, Italy), Brorson (Malmö, Sweden), Campisi (Genoa, Italy), Riquet (Paris), etc.
- paediatricians specialising in vascular diseases, such as Dr Papendieck (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- physiotherapists such as Drs Foeldi (Hinterzarten, Germany), Michelini (Roma, Italy), etc.