The effect of limited versus extended axillary lymph nodes dissection in the development of post-mastectomy morbidity

Abstract EN

Breast cancer is a common malignancy in female, modified radical mastectomy is widely used for the management of this tumour.

Axillary lymph nodes dissection is accompanied by frequent postoperative morbidity including wound infection, paresthesia, seroma and upper limb lymphedema.

This is a comparative study that was conducted to evaluate the frequency of postoperative morbidity in a limited and extended axillary lymph nodes dissection.

One hundred and fifty patients were treated by modified radical mastectomy for invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast between January 2008 and October 2015 in Al-Fayhaa Teaching Hospital.

This sample was divided into two groups; the first fifty patients were managed with limited N1 axillary dissection while the other one hundred patients with extended N2 axillary dissection.

The postoperative morbidity in the form of wound infection, paresthesia, seroma formation and upper limb lymphedema were analyzed in respect to the N1 or N2 axillary lymph nodes dissection.

The highest occurrence was in the age group between 36 and 45 years.

Wound infection develops in 16 % of patients in the first group and 12 % in the second group.

Seroma occurred in 20 % in the first group and 23 % in the second group.

Paresthesia was obviously higher in the second group (19 %) when compared with 4 % in the first group.

Lymphedema occurred more in the second group (26%), and less in the first group (4 %).

In conclusion, limited axillary lymph nodes dissection during modified radical mastectomy for patients with no or few axillary lymph nodes involvement is associated with low postoperative morbidity.