Key topic: Evaluating outcomes of lymphedema surgery

A strong evidence base supports the effectiveness of the surgical treatment of lymphedema, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and prospective comparative and cohort studies. Although the mode of measurements is consistent within individual studies, there remains heterogeneity in measurement modalities between different studies with a lack of clear consensus regarding which outcomes metrics should be measured. This complicates the ability to compare outcomes between different centers that perform these surgeries nationally and internationally, as well as the ability to pool the outcomes data for individual procedures for statistical analysis. This chapter reviews the metrics utilized to measure outcomes in patients undergoing surgical treatment of their lymphedema to provide an evidence-based framework for postoperative longitudinal evaluation.