LymphoedemaSurgery Centre
BioBridge lymphatic scaffolding
BioBridge is a bioabsorbable collagen scaffold designed to provide a pathway along which new lymphatic connections may develop.
The scaffold
What is BioBridge?
BioBridge consists of very fine strands of aligned nanofibrillar collagen. These are placed beneath the skin along carefully planned routes in the affected area.
The scaffold is designed to guide cell movement and may support lymphangiogenesis—the formation of new lymphatic pathways—as the material is gradually absorbed by the body.
Selection
How may it be used?
BioBridge is not a replacement for compression, therapy or established surgery. In selected patients it may be considered alongside procedures such as lymph node transfer, or as part of a staged treatment plan.
Suitability depends on the type and stage of lymphoedema, previous surgery, imaging and the goals agreed with the multidisciplinary team.
Evidence
An evolving treatment.
Laboratory, animal and early clinical studies provide encouraging evidence that aligned collagen scaffolds may support lymphatic regeneration and oedema reduction.
The evidence remains limited compared with more established treatments. We will explain what is known, what remains uncertain, possible alternatives and individual risks before any decision to proceed.
A wider plan
Never considered in isolation.
Any discussion of BioBridge sits within a wider treatment strategy that may include conservative care, imaging, physiological surgery, volume reduction or observation.
The aim is to match the treatment to the pattern of disease rather than promote a single technology.
A considered recommendation
BioBridge is considered only for selected patients after a balanced discussion of the developing evidence and established alternatives.
Arrange an assessment
Discuss whether BioBridge may fit your plan.
A consultation is the starting point for understanding suitability, alternatives, risks and likely recovery.
Start your enquiry