News from Brazil: Stage II Lipoedema Patient Wins Appeal

for all prescribed surgery and costs to be covered by Health Plan Operator

On January 7, 2022, at Hospital Oswaldo Cruz, in São Paulo/SP, the first of several Lipoedema procedures will be carried out on a patient with Stage II Lipoedema and full costs will be met by the health plan operator Unimed Natal.

The case was assessed by Judge Amílcar Maia, who saw the essential requirements for granting the postulated urgent measure fulfilled. For him, despite the arguments used by the lower court to deny a preliminary injunction, he understood that the danger of delay is fully evident in the specific case.

Surgeries had been prescribed since the patient was diagnosed with Lipedema (CID 11 EF02.2 (2)

He noted that, according to her medical report, the patient having been in treatment for over a year had had no significant result. He considered the information from the surgeon, when he said that the patient has a significant evolution in the progression of the disease in a short period of time, with symptoms of intense pain in the lower limbs, oedema, slowing of the lymphatic system, varicose veins, recurrent ecchymosis without the occurrence of trauma (resulting from of capillary fragility in this disease) and changes in knee joints.

The rapporteur also took into account the information given by the physician that Lipedema is a chronic pathology, with four stages, which, if not treated properly, causes serious damage to the health of its patients.

According to the magistrate, even with no risk of death, the surgical procedure should be performed immediately, given the evolutionary and inflammatory character of the disease, already in its second of the four existing stages. “In addition to all the discomforts listed in the medical report, one must consider the serious risk of compromising the patient’s lymphatic system, as well as her joints, already affected by another pathology, which has been harming the health and quality of life of the patient” he concluded.

With thanks to Jenni Smith, Reporter in Brazil and information from Rio Grande do Norte.

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