An investigation on the effect of the post-operative self-nursing training of the affected arms in patients with breast cancer

Lanruo SU; Yu YANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The tissue structure of the affected arms of the breast cancer patients is seriously damaged after operation, which often causes the disorder of functional activity and directly affects the lives and work of Breast Cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE:

To promote the functional recovery of affected-side upperlimb in patients with breast cancer after operation by three-stage functional training and health guidance.

DESIGN:

Clinical observation

SETTING:

Department of Nursing, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 168 patients,to be all female,aged from34 to72 years with the average of 49.65 years, diagnosed breast cancer and received operation in the First Affiliated Hospital of the China Medical University from May 2002 to May 2004, were recruited.

METHODS:

Self-training was performed on the upper-arm at the affectedtion ( one or two days after operation) Do active and passive exercises of Off-bed stage (3 to 14 days after operation) Do exercises of shoulder joint,hospital( 3 to 6 months), functional exercise and guidance training on the upper arm, 2 to 3 times per day , 15 to 20 minutes per time. Self-training effect of the patients was investigated through further consultation, once every 2 months after the self-training.cises status and the abnormal status of their affected arms of the patients.

RESULTS:

Totally 168 patients completed the study,all their date was enbetter recovery with their affected arms and could do some simple work 75.0% (126/168)of the patients persisted in the functional training of their affected arms over half a year after they discharged from the hospital;25.0% (42/168)of the patients had different degrees of lymphatic edema of the affected arms.

CONCLUSION:

We have got an obvious effect in the aspects of strengthening the guidance of the functional training of their affected arms of the breast cancer patients and telling the patients and their family members the significance of persisting in training their main points of self nursing of their affected arms.