1st Appointment: What to expect?
At your first appointment, the receptionist will welcome you and complete your personal details information sheet. Dr Dionysiou will complete your confidential medical history and will make a clinical examination and volume measurements of the affected lymphedema area. Some medical photographs are necessary to be taken and we will ask you to perform a lymphoscintigram and a MRI scans.
Finally Dr Dionysiou will discuss with you all the options for the management of the disease and propose you the appropriate treatment for your problem.
Please, do not forget to hold with you:
- A list of your medications,
- Any letters from health professionals involving previous treatment,
- Previous scans relative to lymphedema e.g. lymphoscintigram, MRI, CT or echogram.
What is the language of communication?
We can communicate in Greek, English and French languages, but if you prefer any other language a translator can be arranged in advance, or you can bring a friend or family member to help with translation.
Out of Town & International Patients
Running a flexible schedule to accommodate you, our staff can organise your first informal electronic consultation (email, skype, viber etc) with Dr Dionysiou, before making a commitment to travel. Through the e-consultation we seek information such as your lymphedema history and present status, past medical/surgical history, photographs etc. and we will recommend you a preliminary surgical or conservative plan.
Our Lymphedema-Cure Center welcome patients from all over the country (Greece) and Worldwide. It is our effort to schedule, if possible, the consultation and surgery to both take place within 1-3 days.
Having collected all the necessary medical details, we can arrange your travel to Greece and in one day the necessary examinations and the one-to-one consultation with Dr Dionysiou. If a surgery has been scheduled to be performed that can take place the following day, or few days later according to your desire.
Also our staff can help you organize the transportation, hotel accommodation and everything you will need to make your visit comfortable. All patients with a friend or a member of the family can stay at one of the local hotels, apartments or in the hospital. Having a family member or friend to care for you during the stay after surgery, you may feel more comfortable.
Typical Schedule for LNT or LVA
Please find here a typical schedule for a patient undergoing a Lymph Node Transfer or Lymphatic-Venous Anastomosis procedure:
- Pre-operational check – Consultation, Scans & examinations, Anaesthetic assessment
- Day 1 – Admission into clinic & surgery – Mobilization in the afternoon
- Day 2 – Review by Dr Dionysiou and change of dressings
- Day 3 – Discharge and return at home or hotel
Our recommendation to the international or out-of-town patients is to remain in Thessaloniki for 14 days. For this period they will have almost daily physiotherapy, bandage, exercises, regular change of dressings and review by Dr Dionysiou.
Two weeks after the surgery Dr Dionysiou will give you the medical instructions before you return at home. We can also prepare any medical documentation you may need.
After returning home, we will remain in contact with you via email to address any concerns or questions you may have and to email us photos at 3 months after surgery. A short follow up visit at six months after the surgery is recommended and of course, you are welcome to return for a visit at any time in the future.
At 15 days after the surgery you will be advised to gradually stop bandage and start wearing a compression garment,(details will be provided during the treatment period). Normally you will need to wear pressure garments daily for six months.
