Experiences of complete decongestive therapy for patients with lower limb lymphedema: A descriptive phenomenological study.

Background: Lower limb lymphedema can cause significant physical and psychological distress. Complete decongestive therapy is recognized as the gold standard for non-surgical management of this condition. However, the lived experiences of patients undergoing complete decongestive therapy have been largely overlooked in existing research.

Objectives: To explore the experiences of individuals with lower limb lymphedema undergoing complete decongestive therapy.

Methods: A total of 18 eligible participants with lower limb lymphedema, aged 39-72 years, were recruited through purposive sampling from a hospital in China. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data. Nvivo12.0 was used for data encoding and management, and Colaizzi's descriptive analysis framework was employed for data interpretation.

Results: Four major themes and thirteen subthemes were generated from the data analysis: (a) Physical discomfort, (b) Increased confidence, (c) Emotional distress, and (d) Need for support.

Conclusion: People undergoing complete decongestive therapy for lower limb lymphedema experience complex physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. Interventions to enhance the complete decongestive therapy experience should focus on five key areas: health education, psychological support, advancements in medical devices, the establishment of consultation platforms, and addressing self-care difficulties among individuals living alone.