The objective of this double-blind, randomized study was to establish whether
sodium selenite administered orally or intravenously reduces postoperative
lymphedema after oral
tumor surgery and to study the effect of
sodium selenite on
glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity and
oxygen radical production. Twenty patients were enrolled in the study. Each of the participants received 1,000 microg
sodium selenite intravenously or orally daily for 3 wk during the pre-, intra-, and postoperative period. The extent of
lymphedema was measured for 2 wk and the plasma and whole-blood
selenium concentration, GPX,
reactive oxygen species (ROS), NO, and malonic dialdehyde were measured for 1 yr postoperatively. There was an inverse correlation between the severity of the
lymphedema and the whole-blood/plasma
selenium concentration and GPX activity. In addition, a positive correlation between the ROS concentration and the extent of
lymphedema was observed. A significant reduction of
lymphedema occurred in the
sodium selenite-treated group. It is concluded that
sodium selenite represents a suitable adjuvant treatment of secondary
lymphedema in surgically treated patients with
tumors in the oral and maxillofacial areas. Treatment with
sodium selenite is especially advantageous as it can be instituted immediately after surgery prior to wound healing when manual lymphatic decongestion
therapy cannot be applied.