Complete Decongestive Therapy on Head and Neck Lymphedema

This will be a prospective, randomized controlled study of \~60 adult patients who have undergone a laryngectomy, neck dissection, maxillectomy or mandibulectomy surgical procedure for the treatment of head and neck cancer at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital and have been referred by their physician for evaluation of head and neck lymphedema while serving as an inpatient. Consenting patients will be evaluated by certified speech and language pathologists trained to ascertain lymphedema severity using a series of visual and tangible measurements immediately following surgery and randomized into two cohorts, one receiving the complete decongestive therapy regimen and the other not receiving this specific combination treatment for their edema. Facial and neck measurements will be taken at baseline following surgery and at several points prior to and at discharge as well as at the 2 week follow up visit to the clinic. Measurements and overall change/reduction in edema will be compared between the cohorts.