Answer:
The lymphatic system is known to have a great regenerative capacity. Replanted digits and extremities often show little signs of lymphedema despite a failure to perform lymphatic anastomoses. Slavin et al. used lymphoscintographic techniques to demonstrate the regeneration of lymphatic pathways across free flaps in ten patients. However, areas where lymphatic drainage is already abnormal may not be amenable to using free flaps as a means of treatment since the regenerative capacity of the lymphatic vessels is already impaired. Bridging lymphangioplastic techniques using a variety of flap techniques have given only mixed results. Lymphoscintographic studies have failed to show establishment of new lymphatic channels and any improvement was attributed to the excisional component of these procedures.