The influence of the initiation of an exercise programme on seroma formation and dehiscence following breast cancer surgery

World Congress on Breast Cancer

August 03-05, 2015 Birmingham, UK

Eliana L Petito, Marcella T Esteves, Simone Elias, Gil Facina, Afonso CP Naz�¡rio and Maria GR Gutierrez

Federal University of S�£o Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

The reduction of range of motion (ROM) of upper limb, the formation of seroma and presence of dehiscence are complications commonly found after breast cancer surgery. The exercises, which began early on after surgery, play an important role in the recovery of ROM, but the insurance beginning is still a controversial point among some authors that relate early start with an increase in the formation of seroma and dehiscence. The objective of this study was to verify whether early (first post-operative day) or late initiation (after removal of the continuous suction drain) of an exercise programme influences the incidence of seroma formation and dehiscence after breast cancer surgery. Seventy-seven women were randomly assigned to initiate the programme on post-operative day 1 (early group = 40) or after removal of the drain (late group = 37) and were monitored until the 45th post-operative day. Patients in the early group were instructed to perform the exercises daily at home, beginning on post-operative day 1, while those of the late group began the exercises after the drain was removed. The assessment for seroma formation and dehiscence was performed on post-operative days 7 and 45. There was no statistically significant difference regard to seroma formation and presence of dehiscence between early group and late group, or association between the two. The early initiation of the exercises for women, following breast cancer surgery, constitutes a safe practice for the rehabilitation. However, these findings need to be further explored and confirmed in a larger sample.

Biography :

Eliana L Petito is Physiotherapist and Physical Educator, PhD in Sciences at UNIFESP (Nursing Paulist School). She has published some papers, including “Application of a domicile-based exercise program for shoulder rehabilitation after breast cancer surgery”, in RLAE (2012) and “The influence of the initiation of an exercise programme on seroma formation and dehiscence following breast cancer surgery”, in Journal of Clinical Nursing (2014); Marcella T Esteves is Nurse, Specialist in Oncology Nursing at Nursing Paulist School; Simone Elias, Gil Facina and Afonso CP Nazário are Physician and professors of UNIFESP Gynecology Department; Maria GR Gutierrez is Nurse, Associate Professor of Nursing Paulist School.