Abstract:

Objective

To analyze the postoperative recovery and complications of breast cancer patients after mastoscopic lymph node dissection (MALND) or conventional axillary lymph node dissection(CALND).

Methods

This was a prospective study. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,60 breast cancer patients who received MALND in Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University from June 2015 to June 2016 served as research group (MALND group). The other 60 breast cancer patients who received CALND served as control group (CALND group) based on the principle of 1 ∶1 paired selection.Paired t test was used to compare the postoperative daily drainage volume and drainage duration between two groups. Paired χ² test was used to compare the incidence of skin flap necrosis, upper extremity edema and abnormal sensation between two groups.

Results

The postoperative daily drainage volume was (17.7±7.2) ml in MALND group, significantly lower than (21.4±6.8)ml in CALND group(t= 2.959, P=0.004). The drainage duration was (7.5±2.3) d in MALND group, significantly shorter than (8.8±4.1) d in CALND group (t = 2.057, P = 0.044). The incidence of skin flap necrosis was 0(0/60) in MALND group,significantly less than 10.0% (6/60) in CALND group (P=0.031). The incidence of upper extremity edema was 3.3%(2/60) in MALND group, significantly lower than 13.3%(8/60) in CALND group(P=0.031).The incidence of abnormal sensation was 23.3%(14/60) in MALND group, significantly lower than 41.7%(25/60) in CALND group(P=0.001).

Conclusion

Mastoscopic axillary lymph node dissection can reduce postoperative complications such as skin flap necrosis, upper extremity edema and abnormal sensation and improve the patients' quality of life, with small surgical injury and fast postoperative recovery, so it is worthy of clinical application.

Key words: Laparoscopes, Breast neoplasms, Lymph node excision, Postoperative complications