Introduction

Lower severe oedema is a common—although seldom recognised—condition faced by patients with advanced cancer effecting their physical and psychosocial comfort and quality of life and adding to their caregivers’ burden.1–3 High-dose oral or intravenous diuretics4 and mechanical approaches (such as massage, elevation and compression bandaging of the limbs) are still treatment options. However, they may be contraindicated in frail, bed-bound and dependent patients cared for in their homes, especially without competent caregivers or continued monitoring by health teams.2

The use of subcutaneous (S.C.) drainage of lower or upper limbs’ oedema5 has been reported as a viable option for patients with cancer receiving palliative care, when no treatments are possible or safe due to the nature of the disease or because they have failed.

Although the S.C. drainage approach can lead to relief, symptom control and quality of life improvement, there is still little evidence on this clinical procedure.1

To contribute to the clinical evidence on this particular procedure, we; therefore, report the case of a woman with advanced metastatic cancer for whom we performed S.C. controlled drainage of her lower limb oedema. Drainage of a large quantity of oedematous fluid over 4 days led to significant improvement in her comfort as well as the neurotoxicity related to jaundice.