TITLE:
Therapeutic Approaches to Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome
AUTHORS:
Vanessa Ferreira Dias Duarte Da Costa, Giovanna Schwarz Mazzucca, Carlos Augusto Pires Zerbini, Oscar César Pires, Camila Dos Santos Leite
KEYWORDS:
Mastectomy, Chronic Pain, Nerve Blocks, Breast Cancer
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.11 No.12,
December
25,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Breast cancer is increasingly common in society and post-mastectomy pain is a striking condition associated with surgery, both intra and postoperatively. The post-mastectomy syndrome is characterized by the persistence of pain for more than 3 months after the procedure. It is mostly of neuropathic origin and is highly refractory to treatments, which vary from clinical to surgical measures and alternative techniques. In this context, it is essential to understand the possible approaches to these patients. Objective: Understand alternatives for pain management in patients undergoing mastectomy, especially in those in whom pain persists for more than 3 months. Methods: Systematic literature review, conducted in the Virtual Health Library databases includes: Lilacs, SciELO, Medline, PubMed and Cochrane between 2018 and 2023, restricted to articles in English with the descriptors: Mastectomy, chronic Pain, Nerve Blocks and Breast Cancer. 317 articles were found involving the descriptors presented, all in English. After reading the abstracts, 28 articles were selected. Results: This review analyzed 28 scientific studies that rigorously met the previously established characteristics in the sample selection. The synthesis included the following aspects: author/year of publication, article title, objective, type of study and database. Conclusion: It was concluded that, according to the analyzed studies, post-mastectomy pain is a problem that has increased its incidence and that needs the attention of health professionals. The use of antineuropathic medications, nerve blocks, fat grafting, lymph node transplantation, therapy, physical activity and acupuncture are some examples of therapeutic approaches for these women. Therefore, the team must assist the patients, seeking to provide a better prognosis, quality of life and comfort.