• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2012

Purpose: The design of this study is a nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized quasi-experimental study. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of laughter therapy on pain and anxiety of patients with postmastectomy. Methods: The participants were 33 patients admitted for mastectomy in a college affiliated hospital (17 patients in experimental group and 16 patients in control group from November, 2008 to March, 2009). The registered nurse who were certified as the 1st degree laughter specialist implemented the intervention once a day for 30 minutes from the 2nd day to the 6th day after surgery when visited them. Date were analyzed using t, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures of ANOVA, paired t-test, or ANCOVA. Results: The level of pain was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Since the level of pain in all participants was reduced as time passed, the interaction effect between time and group existed. The level of anxiety was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: Based on the results, the laughter therapy may be recommended as an useful intervention to effectively reduce the levels of pain and anxiety among patients with postmastectomy.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.301-310
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an exercise program for postmastectomy patients. Method: This study was conducted from October, 2003 to June, 2004. The exercise program was developed based on literature review and needs assessment using focus group interviews. The subjects for the focus group interview consisted of 11 patients, 13 recovering patients, and 20 nurses from 3 hospitals. Development of the program was proceeded with analysusm design and development steps. Result: The results of the needs assessment using the focus group interview showed that the exercise program was imperative for postmastectomy patients. Based on the results, a home video tape containing 3 steps, was developed. Each step includes warming-up, stretching, the main exercise, and cool-down. Steps 2 and 3 include exercises with an elastic band, and an elastic ball. The program was modified after conducting a pre-test. A self-checklist including shoulder mobility, hand strength, arm volume and subjective comments on how they feel will be used before and after the exercise program. Conclusion: The exercise program will improve breast cancer patients' quality of life and their physical well-being. Further studies are recommended to test the effectiveness of the exercise program.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2004

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.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2011

Purpose: This is the report on the results of 150 consecutive cases of delayed postmastectomy reconstruction with TRAM flap performed by single surgeon. The purpose of this study is to review the merits, demerits and other considerations of this method by analyzing the results. Methods: 150 patients were reviewed retrospectively who had breast reconstruction by a single surgeon from July 2001 to July 2008. Reviewed factors include demographic factors, mastectomy method, adjuvant therapies (such as radiation, chemotherapy) complication rate, simultaneous contralateral breast procedure rate, secondary touch-up procedure rate, and patients' satisfaction. Results: Ovarall TRAM flap complication rate was 22.6%. Among them, donor site complication rate was 36%, simultaneous contralateral breast procedure rate was 44.6%, secondary touch-up procedure rate was 40%. All rates were higher compared to immediate reconstruction with TRAM flap. But the patients' satisfaction was about the same as immediate reconstruction. Conclusion: Delayed postmastectomy reconstruction with TRAM flap can yield satisfactory results despite of relatively high complication rate and concomitant procedure rate when it is performed by a experienced surgeon.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.346-351
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• 2022

Background Postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMR) increases patient satisfaction, quality of life, and psychosocial well-being. There is scarce data regarding the safety of PMR in chronic anticoagulated patients. Perioperative complications can reduce patient satisfaction; therefore, it is important to elucidate the safety of PMR in these patients. Methods A retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent PMR with implants and were on chronic anticoagulation was performed at our institution. Inclusion criteria were women ≥ 18 years old. Exclusion criteria included autologous reconstructions, lumpectomy, and oncoplastic procedures. Two controls for every one patient on anticoagulation were matched by age, body mass index, radiotherapy, smoking history, type of reconstruction, time of reconstruction, and laterality. Results From 2009 to 2020, 37 breasts (20 patients) underwent PMR with implant-based reconstruction and were on chronic anticoagulation. A total of 74 breasts (40 patients) who had similar demographic characteristics to the cases were defined as the control group. Mean age for the case group was 53.6 years (standard deviation [SD] = 16.1), mean body mass index was 28.6 kg/m² (SD = 5.1), and 2.7% of breasts had radiotherapy before reconstruction and 5.4% after reconstruction. Nine patients were on long-term warfarin, six on apixaban, three on rivaroxaban, one on low-molecular-weight heparin, and one on dabigatran. The indications for anticoagulation were prior thromboembolic events in 50%. Anticoagulated patients had a higher risk of capsular contracture (10.8% vs. 0%, p = 0.005). There were no differences regarding incidence of hematoma (2.7% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.63), thromboembolism (5% vs. 0%, p = 0.16), reconstructive-related complications, or length of hospitalization (1.6 days [SD = 24.2] vs. 1.4 days [SD = 24.2], p = 0.85). Conclusion Postmastectomy implant-based breast reconstruction can be safely performed in patients on chronic anticoagulation with appropriate perioperative management of anticoagulation. This information can be useful for preoperative counseling on these patients.

• Proceedings of the Costume Culture Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.35-37
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• 2005

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-114
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• 1999

This study was designed to investigate the effects of an aquatic exercise program on the shoulder joint function. physical symptom. quality of life and stress among the patients who received modified radical mastectomy between 6 to 12 months prior to their visits. The subjects were 31 women aged between 40 and 60 who visited the out-patient department at Kang Nam St. Mary's Hospital for follow-up care. and were not under the treatment of intravenous cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy. and had no complications. Twelve of them were assigned to the control group. while nineteen subjects to the experimental group. The aquatic exercise program was developed by the author with the assistance of exercise specialists. The program includes warming uP. aerobic and cooling down exercises in water. The aquatic exercise program for the experimental group was carried out 3 times a week with 60 minutes in each time for 8 weeks from September 20th to November 15th. 1995 in a regular swimming pool in Seoul. Changes in the range of motion of the shoulder joint. muscle strength. physical symptom. quality of life. and stress were examined after the completion of treatment. The data were collected through isokinetic muscle strength evaluation and questionnaire survey before and after the treatment. Paired and unpaired t-test were adopted to analyze the data. The results were as follows ; 1. The increment in the range of motion of the shoulder joint in the experimental group after the exercise was significantly greater than those in the control group. 2. The peak torque of shoulder girdle muscles increased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 3. The physical symptom score decreased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 4. The experimental group revealed significantly higher level of quality of life and lower level of stress after the exercise compared with those before the exercise. whereas the control group showed no significant changes in those levels. These findings may indicate that the aquatic exercise program is effective in increasing the range of motion of the shoulder joint and muscle strength and quality of life. and also effective in decreasing physical symptoms. and the level of stress in postmastectomy patients. Accordingly. the acquatic exercise program' can be adopted as an effective nursing intervention for postmastectomy rehabilitation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2240-2250
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• 2012

This study was to identify treatment effects of the shoulder control and strengthening exercise, on the subjects with secondary shoulder impingement syndrome at postmastectomy. The subjects were patients who visited our hospital due to secondary shoulder impingement syndrome(1-2 stage) at postmastectomy and they randomly allocated to two groups: a shoulder control and strengthening group (n=10) and a conservative therapy group (n=10). Both groups received conservative therapy for 5 sessions (40 minutes per week) for 4week. The shoulder control and strengthening exercises group practiced additional motor control and strengthening exercises for 60 minutes. Values of handgrip strength, pain(visual analog scale), upper extremity circumference, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, range of motion were compared with those of the conservative therapy group. There were significant differences in the amount of change of the range of motion and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scale between the two groups (p<.05), however as a measure of handgrip strength, pain(visual analog scale), upper extremity circumference did not show a significant differences. These results suggest that a motor control and strengthening exercise program is feasible, secure and suitable for secondary shoulder impingement syndrome at postmastectomy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2004

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcomes after postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) and chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The PMRT were retrospectively analyzed in 83 patients with stage II-III female breast cancer treated between 1989 and 1995. The median age was 46 years (range, 23-77): Seventy-seven patients had modified radical mastectomies, 5 radical mastectomies and 1 simple mastectomy. Three patients ($4\%$) had pathologically negative axillae, and the remaining 80 ($96\%$) had positive axillae. Eleven, 23, 44 and 5 patients had pathological stages IIA, IIB, IIIA, and IIIB, retrospectively. Eighty ($96\%$) patients were treated with hockey-stick fields. The median dose of PMRT was 50.4 ey, in 1.8 Gy fractions. Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy was given to 74 patients ($89\%$). CMF-based or doxorubicin-containing regimens were given to 54 patients ($55\%$). The median follow-up time was 82 months (range, 8-171) after the mastectomy. Results: The 5 and 10-year overall survival rates for all patients were 65 and $49\%$, respectively. The univariate and multivariate analyses of the factors affecting the overall survival revealed the stage to be the most significant prognostic factor (p=0.002), followed by the combination of chemotherapy. Thirteen patients $16\%$ developed a LRF, at an interval of 4-84 months after radiotherapy, with a median of 20 months. The only significant prognostic factor affecting LRF was the combination of chemotherapy, in both the univariate and multivariate analyses. With respect to the sequence of chemoradiation, the sequence had no saatistical significance (p=0.90). According to the time interval from mastectomy to the onset of radiotherapy, the LRFR of the patients group treated by RT within or after 6 month postmastectomy 6 months were 14 vs. $27\%$ respectively (p=0.24). One third of the pa41en1s (26/83) developed distant metastasis, in 2-92 months, after radiotherapy, with a median of 21 months. The most commonly involved site was bone in 13 cases. The pathological staging was the only significant prognostic factor in both the univariate and multivariate analyses that affected distant failure. Radiological finding of radiation pneumonitis on a simple chest x-ray was shown in $20\%$ (17/83), with a time interval ranging from 2 to 7 months post-radiotherapy, with a median of 3 months. The stable lung fibrosis settled in 11 patients ($65\%$). Conclusion: It was concluded through this analysis that the combination of PMRT with in chemotherapy resulted in better overall survival and local control than PMRT alone in patients needing PMRT.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.621-626
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• 2011

Purpose: Implant-based breast reconstruction has multiple advantages such as decreased morbidity, shorter operative time and faster recovery. However, postoperative infection with tissue expander increases medical cost and causes a delay in concurrent antineoplastic treatment. To reduce tissue expander infection, it is important to identify related risk factors and minimize them when possible. Methods: A retrospective review of patient records in a single breast cancer center was performed. Eighty-six tissue expanders were placed in 80 women for postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Variables including patients'age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative breast volume, operation time, drain indwelling time, postoperative seroma/hematoma formation, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were evaluated. Infection was defined as the status that shows any symptom of local inflammation and identification of pathogens. Representative values were compared through Student's t-test and univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: We examined 86 postmastectomy tissueexpanders which were placed between June 2004 and April 2010. Seven cases of tissue expander infection (8.1%) were identified. The infected tissue expander was removed in three of the cases. The relationship between BMI, and preoperative breast volume and that between infection and non-infection groups were significant ($p$ <0.05). Univariate analysis showed significant association between BMI ($p$=0.023) and preoperative breast volume ($p$=0.037). Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI and preoperative breast volume were independent variables regarding tissue expander infection. Conclusion: Certain characteristics of implant-based breast reconstruction patients increase infection rate of tissue expander. These risk factors should be monitored and evaluated before surgeries for more successful outcome.