What are the sequelae after breast cancer surgery

What are the sequelae after breast cancer surgery? This is a question many patients want to know. At present, many patients will undergo surgical treatment, but this surgery will produce a series of postoperative sequelae, which need to attract our attention. So what are the sequelae after breast cancer surgery?

What are the sequelae after breast cancer surgery

The postoperative sequelae of breast cancer first manifests as pain: after breast surgery, it often causes paresthesia on the same side, some pain and discomfort, and even phantom limb pain after surgical treatment. If the symptoms persist, local massage or desensitization and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation can be used to solve them. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to whether there are local soft tissue lesions, such as supraspinatus biceps tendonitis and frozen shoulder on the affected side, which are common problems. In addition, some superficial venous thrombosis and thromboembolism, as well as neuropathy caused by radiation therapy, can all cause pain. Therefore, for patients with persistent pain, it is necessary to determine the cause through diagnosis and treatment by a doctor.

It also includes joint stiffness: it is often caused by reduced activity after surgery, coupled with pain that causes fear of movement. The degree of activity can be maintained through positioning techniques and joint range of motion exercises. When joint stiffness and atrophy have occurred, heat therapy from the superficial to the deep layer, deep friction massage and some traction exercises can be used to soften the stiff fibers and connective tissues.

Muscle weakness and poor posture are also postoperative complications of breast cancer: due to the removal of some tissues and reduced activity, muscle strength often decreases. Muscle strength can be gradually trained with some activities. If the patient's weakness persists, it is also necessary to rule out whether the brachial nerve is injured, so as not to delay the patient's breast cancer treatment or even cause secondary injury.

Lymphedema: As the lymph nodes in the affected area are affected, lymphatic return is blocked, which in turn causes pain and swelling in the affected upper limb, and even affects the movement of the joints. Clinically, it can be measured simply by measuring the arm circumference. If the increase reaches two centimeters, it means that it is meaningful and requires active intervention treatment in the form of rehabilitation. In the early stage of lymphedema, the affected limb can be raised, or the patient can be instructed to massage in the centripetal direction and cooperate with muscle pump activities. When the swelling intensifies, elastic bandages or air pumps can be used to increase pressure to promote the return of lymph fluid. However, when there is a secondary infection in the affected area or tumor cells have spread, this type of treatment is absolutely contraindicated, so the root cause should be evaluated in detail by a physician before this type of treatment can be adopted.

The above answers the questions about the sequelae after breast cancer surgery. Female friends must do a good job in breast cancer prevention in their daily lives to avoid the harm caused by the disease!