Incidence of arm swelling following mastectomy and axillary clearance for breast cancer

ABSTRACT

Arm swelling was measured using volume determination in 60 patients following mastectomy with axillary clearance. The mean age was 50.5 years and the median follow up was 13.5 months. Axillary clearance removed level III nodes. Axillary irradiation was given to only three patients with extensive [more than 75%] modal involvement. The incidence of early postoperative complications was 18.3%. The incidence of lymphedema was 8.3%. Arm circumference differences correlated poorly with volume differences