Jahr, S., Schoppe, B., & Reisshauer, A. (2008). Effect of treatment with low-intensity and extremely low-frequency electrostatic fields (Deep Oscillation) on breast tissue and pain in patients with secondary breast lymphoedema. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine: Official Journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 40(8), 645–650.

To evaluate the symptoms and functional limitations of patients with secondary breast lymphedema following surgical treatment and to assess the additional therapeutic benefit of Deep Oscillation when combined with manual lymphatic drainage

Patients were randomized to the treatment group or the control group. The treatment group received 12 sessions of manual lymphatic drainage supplemented by Deep Oscillation, and the control group received manual lymphatic drainage alone.

• The study sample (N = 21) was comprised of a treatment group (n = 11) and a control group (n = 10) of female patients.
• Mean age for the treatment group was 56.6 years, with a range of 41–65 years and for the control group was 62.0 years, with a range of 42–71 years.
• All patients had breast-sparing surgery for breast cancer and were at least six weeks since their last irradiation.

The study took place at a single site in Berlin, Germany.

The study used a randomized controlled trial design.

• A 10-point visual analog scale was used to subjectively assess pain, breast swelling, and the effectiveness of lymphedema treatment.
• Range of motion of shoulder was measured using the neutral-zero method for passive range of motion.
• Range of motion of cervical spine was measured using the Zebris ultrasound-based movement sensor for active cervical spine mobility.
• ScanMobile served as a mobile 3D measuring system for the breast surface area in the target region.

Patients had high pain and swelling scores at baseline. Shoulder mobility was impaired in all patients; restriction of cervical spine mobility was common at baseline and declined further in the control group. Deep Oscillation resulted in significant pain reduction in the treatment group. The subjective reported reduction of swelling was confirmed objectively by 3D measurement only in the treatment group.

Additional Deep Oscillation supplementary to manual lymphatic drainage can enhance pain alleviation and swelling reduction.

• The study sample was small, with less than 30 patients.
• Placebo effect may exist because of the use of a new technique.
• The number of treatment sessions per week was higher in the treatment group with two to three sessions per week compared to control group with only one to two sessions per week.

More attention should be paid to patients with breast lymphedema. Treatment with low-intensity and extremely low-frequency electrostatic fields could be a useful supplementary therapy in the management of patients with breast lymphedema. However, more studies with larger sample sizes are needed to duplicate the findings from this study.