Nursing Intervention on Prevention of Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery

This research was conducted in the Application and Research Hospital Surgery Clinic of Private University in order to evaluate findings about lymphedema and lymphangitis in the experimental and control groups organised for patients having mastectomy surgery and lymph dissection and to investigate protective measures against lymphedema and lymphangitis. Sixty-one patients were included in the study. There were thirty-one patients in the experimental group (Group1), while there were thirty patients in the control group (Group 2). The distribution was homogeneous across the groups (p>0.05). The preoperative education of the patients in Group 1 was conducted by means of a training booklet for forty minutes, while the same training booklet was given to the patients in Group 2 ten days after the discharge from the hospital. The findings regarding the level of information and the attitudes of the patients about lymphedema were evaluated in the third and tenth days. The findings were given in percentages and analysed by means of chi square test. There is a significant statistical difference between the level of information regarding lymphedema and lymphangitis and potential measures against them in the experimental and control groups (p>0.05). Group 1 was more informed about this process and developed attitudes. Considering the findings of the patients discharged from the hospital ten days after the surgery, it can be pointed out that the patients in Group 2 had more symptoms of mild oedema, sensitivity, pain, feeling of tightness, burning sensation and redness; however, the patients in the experimental group, who had trainings from the breast care nurse, had less symptoms. In conclusion, a well-organised and demonstration-based patient education by means of audio-visual tools can be influential for patients in terms of preventing lymphedema and lymphangitis.