Complete Decongestive Therapy Is an Option for the Treatment of Rosacea Lymphedema (Morbihan Disease): Two Cases

Background and Purpose Morbihan disease, also known as rosacea lymphedema, is a rare persistent form of lymphedema that is associated with the disease rosacea. Even though acne rosacea responds well to standard medical treatment, the lymphedema component of the disease is resistant to both medical and surgical therapy. Complete decongestive therapy (CDT) can be considered as a conservative alternative option for treatment of rosacea lymphedema. To date, there is no report on the use of CDT in treating facial lymphedema secondary to acne rosacea. Case Description We present 2 cases of women with a diagnosis of Morbihan disease and chronic facial lymphedema that remained resistant to drug treatment for many years before CDT was offered. The treatment program included 4 components: manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandaging, exercises to enhance lymphatic drainage, and patient education. Outcomes Following 10 to 15 sessions of CDT, the first patient's facial edema had almost completely resolved. The second patient's response to treatment was assessed as moderate. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, these 2 cases of Morbihan disease treated with CDT are the first of their kind to be presented in the literature. As the treatment options for Morbihan disease remain inadequate, we believe that CDT should be considered as a treatment option in those patients who do not benefit from or refuse drug treatment, before moving on to more invasive procedures. Prospective studies should be designed to demonstrate the efficacy of CDT and provide management details.