Volume 26, Issue 130, December 2022

Efficacy of post mastectomy exercises on reduction of lymphedema among patients undergone mastectomy: A preexperimental study from central rural India

Amruta Kothe^1♦, Ruchira Ankar¹, Mayur B Wanjari², Pragati Alnewar¹

¹Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Smt. Radhikabai Meghe Memorial College of Nursing, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
²Research Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Smt. Radhikabai Meghe Memorial College of Nursing, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is commonly treated with a surgical intervention called mastectomy. The feared complication of mastectomy is lymphedema. Postmastectomy exercises are very essential for patients who have undergone mastectomy which help to prevent constriction of muscle and joint contractors and also improve lymph and bloodstream. To assess pre interventional level of lymphedema and effectiveness of exercises after mastectomy at reducing lymphedema in breast cancer patients and associated with demographic variables. The research design used in the study is one group Pre test Post test research design. Sixty post-mastectomy patients took part in the research. Quantitative variables were described as frequency and percentages. A structured demographic sheet that includes information on age, marital status, co-morbid illnesses and family history, as well as the American Lymphology Lymphedema Scale by using inch tape and a goniometer. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used do analysis. There is a significant difference between the pre-interventional and post-interventional level of lymphedema score interpreting effective post-mastectomy exercises on reduction of lymphedema among patients undergoing mastectomy. The calculated 't' value i.e., 20.47 and the p-value was 0.001. Hence it is statistically interpreted that post-mastectomy exercise in the reduction of lymphedema among patients undergoing mastectomy was effective. An effective intervention in the prevention of lymphedema in women following mastectomy involving dissection of axillary lymph nodes could be early exercise after surgery. Breast cancer survivors can exercise safely after their mastectomy at any point during their cancer journey, including while receiving treatment.

Keywords: Breast cancer, mastectomy, lymphedema, goniometer

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms558e2557

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i130/ms558e2557

Published: 23 December 2022