Effects of modified bandage on lymphedema and comfort of upper limb after breast cancer surgery / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effects of bandaging methods on breast cancer associated lymphoedema.Methods:By simple random sampling method, a total of 90 cases of breast cancer associated lymphoedema patients who received complex decongestion therapy in Hubei Cancer Hospital from May 2020 to My 2021 were randomly assigned to experimental group and control group, with 45 cases in each group. All patients received complex decongestion therapy. At the pressure bandage stage, the control group received figure-of-eight shape bandaging methods, the experimental group implemented modified bandaging methods: the figure-of-eight shape bandaging methods was used below the elbow joint, the spiral bandaging methods was used above the elbow joint. The arm circumference of affected limb, extracellular water/total body water ratio, general comfort questionnaire, bandage loosening rate as well as bandage loss was compared between two groups.Results:At 20 days after treatment, the arm circumference of affected limb in L 3, L 4 were (20.69 ± 2.06) cm, (25.76 ± 3.79) cm and extracellular water/total body water ratio was (10.15 ± 2.49)% in the experimental group, which were lower than those in the control group (21.97 ± 3.45) cm, (27.33 ± 3.25) cm and (11.67 ± 3.12)%, the differences were significant ( t=2.13, 2.11 and 2.56, all P<0.05); the physiological demension scores and total general comfort questionnaire scores were (11.07 ± 2.09) points and (81.71 ± 5.65) points in the experimental group, which were higher than those in the control group (8.36 ± 2.28) points and (77.29 ± 7.52) points, the difference were statically significant ( t=5.88 and 3.16, P<0.05). The bandage loosening rate was 2.2% in the experimental group, 6.7% in the control group, there was no significant difference between two groups ( χ2=1.05, P>0.05). The average bandage loss was (3.47 ± 0.53) rolls in the experimental group, which was lower than that in the control group (3.79 ± 0.40) rolls, the difference was statically significant ( t=3.28, P<0.01). Conclusions:Modified bandaging methods can decrease breast cancer associated lymphoedema, improve the degree of patient comfort and reduce bandage usage.