The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Effectiveness of early physiotherapy to prevent lymphoedema after surgery for breast cancer: randomised single blinded clinical trial. BMJ 2010; 340: 140.

Published: 1st January 2010

Authors: Lacomba MT, Sanchez MJY, Goni AZ, Merino DP, del Moral OM, Tellez EC et al. et al.

Conclusion

One hundred and twenty women who had breast cancer surgery including axillary dissection were randomly allocated to early physiotherapy or education alone. The rate of arm lymphoedema after one year was 7 per cent in the physiotherapy and 25 per cent in the control group, P=0.01.

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