Shoulder Range of Motion in Postmastectomy Patients

유방암 절제술 후 환자의 어깨관절 가동범위 조사

The purpose of this study was to use as a basic data to develop suitable nursing intervention program and decide an appropriate intervention time after assessing shoulder range of motion in postmastectomy from 2 weeks to 3 month. 147 patients are chosen as study subject among patients who were in recovery of 2weeks, 1month, 2months and 3 months after surgical operation which is modified radical mastectomy. Data were collected at oncology medicine local and general surgery local in Seoul National University Hospital from May, 2003 to October, 2003. The range of motion of the shoulder(flexion, extension, abduction, internal rotation, external rotation) were examined. Analysis of data that shoulder range of motion average and standard deviation, percentage of the unaffected side and affected side compare with normal shoulder range of motion. Paired t-test was adopted to analyze the difference between affected side and unaffected side. Conclusion from this study is as following, 1. The most serious problem was external rotation (0.56%) and internal rotation is the next (19.9%) in 5 kinds of shoulder range of motion in 2 weeks after surgical operation 2. There was no difference in internal rotation after post operation 3 months but there were differences and shown to recover more than 90% in flexion and abduction. Also shoulder function incresed in flextion less than 80% and more than 80% in external rotation. As this study finding was shown that shoulder range of motion did not get back perfectly except of internal rotation and extension in point of 3 months after breast cancer surgical operation. External rotation was specially shown the lowest result so it is needed to exercise for improving their physical functioning recovery in postmastectomy patients. And it is suggested to study for helping to postmastectomy patients' physical and psycosocial functions with the early rehabilitation program which is based on these results.