Randomized Clinical Trial With Two Physical Therapy Protocols After Breast Cancer Surgery and Immediate Reconstruction

Introduction: physical therapy is essential in preventing motor and functional complications after breast cancer surgery. However, there is no prospective randomized study of different physiotherapy approaches in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery with immediate reconstruction. Objectives: to evaluate two physical therapy protocols in patients after breast cancer surgery with immediate reconstruction. A group with shoulder exercises with limited range of motion (ROM) at 90 degrees up to a month after surgery and a group with limited ROM only up to 15 days after surgery. Specific objectives: to evaluate shoulder ROM and pain one week before the surgery on average, and 07, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 180 days after surgery; assess motor function one week before the surgery on average, and 30 and 90 days after surgery; evaluate dehiscence and seroma 07, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days after surgery; associate incidence of seroma and dehiscence with preoperative risk factors and compare all variables (shoulder ROM, pain, motor function, seroma and dehiscence) between the two groups. Methods: women with breast cancer, who will be submitted to breast surgery (radical or conservative), followed by immediate reconstruction: alloplastic (tissue expander or breast implant) or oncoplastic (breast reduction or contralateral symmetrization) will be included. Patients that will be submitted to bilateral oncology surgery, reconstruction with autologous tissue or breast surgery without reconstruction will not be included. Patients will be recruited just after surgery scheduling and will undergo preoperative evaluation. At this moment, preoperative analysis will be conducted with personal data and medical history. Patients will undergo new assessments 07, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 180 days after surgery. All patients will receive standard physiotherapy treatment for women undergoing breast reconstruction from Physical Therapy Sector. The protocol consists of early exercise, limited to 90° of shoulder ROM, starting the day after the surgery and repeated 7 days after surgery. After 15 days of surgery, the patients will be randomized into two treatment protocols. One group will start to perform exercises with free shoulder ROM. Patients will be told only to limit the movement if they feel pain. The other group will keep shoulder exercises limited to 90° up to 30 days after surgery. At that moment (one month after surgery), they will also be allowed to move the shoulder with no restriction. The evaluation of the presence of dehiscence and seroma will occur by inspection and palpation. Shoulder ROM will be investigated through active goniometry of flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation. The pain will be assessed with the Verbal Numerical Scale from 0 to10 and upper limb function through the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire) questionnaire.