Breast reconstruction with the tram flap: surgical and nursing challenges

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to explore the pre- and postoperative surgical and nursing problems encountered in 22 patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with TRAM flap reconstruction, and to evaluate the nurses intervention in meeting with these problems and improving the final outcome of the procedure. Using the closed envelop method, 12 patients were randomly selected as the experimental group who was cared for according to an approved and definite nursing care protocol. The remaining 10 patients constituted the control group and was cared for according to hospital routine. The overall complication rate of the entire population was 41.4%. Nurses intervention resulted in a significantly less rate of postoperative complications as compared with the controls [25% versus 60%, respectively] and improved patient satisfaction with the outcome of the procedure. Based on these data, it may be concluded that the nurses role is more than vital in achieving successful surgical outcome. Besides ameliorating the potential postoperative complications, nurses help the patients to consider the short-term risks, the long-term health concerns, the safety issues and their available options