BACKGROUND Patients undergoing breast oncological surgery often experience chronic conditions characterized by pain and functional limitations in the scapular girdle on the side of the operated breast. At the lymphedema clinic of our department, patients who have undergone breast oncological surgery are sent weekly by the Breast Unit of our hospital for the identification of subclinical secondary lymphedema. From clinical practice, it also emerges that these visits frequently reveal functional limitations caused by pain during active and passive mobilization and reduced joint range of motion. These signs are often accompanied by limitations in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In particular, palpation often reveals significant tension in the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study is to evaluate the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles using ultrasound, comparing the ultrasound image characteristics of these muscles with those of the healthy contralateral side and correlating the ultrasound findings with the clinical assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifteen patients who had undergone breast oncological surgery and were referred to the lymphedema clinic of our department were recruited for the study. They underwent both clinical and ultrasound evaluations. During the clinical assessment, the range of motion (ROM) of the affected shoulder and the healthy shoulder was evaluated. Using the ultrasound machine, images of the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles were acquired before the myotendinous junction in the transverse axis on both the affected and healthy sides. From these images, the muscle thickness was measured, and using the ImageJ software, an analysis of the image’s echogenicity was conducted by assessing the grayscale, calculating parameters such as mean, mode, standard deviation, kurtosis, and skewness. The patients also completed the DASH (Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) questionnaire. RESULTS Fifteen female patients with an average age of 61±9 years were enrolled in the study. Statistical analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the thickness of the pectoralis major muscle on the side of the surgery and the contralateral side, nor between the latissimus dorsi muscle on the side of the surgery and the contralateral side. Regarding the parameters from the grayscale analysis, no statistically significant differences were found between the affected and healthy muscles. However, analysing the data based on the patients' medical history, a significant increase in kurtosis of the latissimus dorsi was observed in patients with a greater number of months post-surgery, and a greater kurtosis of the pectoralis major was found in patients who underwent axillary lymphadenectomy. The shoulder range of motion (ROM) in forward flexion and extension was significantly more reduced in the shoulder on the side of the surgery, while the ROM in abduction did not show significant differences between the two sides, but was bilaterally reduced compared to normative data. The DASH score was found to be high compared to normative values. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the importance of early rehabilitative management in patients undergoing breast oncological surgery. The absence of statistically significant differences between the two muscles and their contralateral counterparts suggests a good potential for recovery. The presence of axillary lymphadenectomy was also confirmed as a negative prognostic factor, further emphasizing the importance of rehabilitative management in these patients. Additionally, the results from the DASH scale highlighted how such limitations negatively affect the QoL.
BACKGROUND DELLO STUDIO Le pazienti sottoposte ad un intervento di chirurgia oncologica mammaria vanno frequentemente incontro a condizioni croniche caratterizzate da dolore e limitazione funzionale a livello del cingolo scapolare omolaterale alla mammella operata. Presso l’ambulatorio linfedema della nostra UO vengono settimanalmente inviate pazienti sottoposte a chirurgia oncologica mammaria dalla Breast Unit della nostra Azienda Ospedaliera; dalla pratica clinica emerge durante tali visite anche un frequente riscontro di limitazione funzionale data da dolorabilità alla mobilizzazione attiva e passiva e riduzione del range articolare. Tali segni sono molto spesso accompagnati da una limitazione nelle ADL. In particolare, si obiettiva frequentemente alla palpazione un’importante tensione del muscolo gran pettorale e gran dorsale. SCOPO DELLO STUDIO L’obiettivo di questo studio è valutare ecograficamente i muscoli gran pettorale e gran dorsale, comparando le caratteristiche dell’immagine ecografica di tali muscoli con quelle dei controlaterali sani e correlando il dato ecografico con la valutazione clinica. MATERIALI E METODI Sono state reclutate 15 pazienti sottoposte ad intervento di chirurgia oncologica mammaria che afferivano presso l’ambulatorio linfedema della nostra UO. Sono state sottoposte quindi ad una valutazione clinica ed ecografica. Durante la valutazione clinica è stato valutato il ROM della spalla affetta e della spalla sana. Mediante l’ecografo sono state acquisite immagini del muscolo gran pettorale e gran dorsale prima della giunzione miotendinea in asse trasversale sia dal lato affetto che dal lato sano. Dalle immagini è stato poi misurato lo spessore del muscolo e, tramite il software ImageJ, è stata fatta un’analisi dell’ecogenicità dell’immagine tramite l’analisi della scala di grigi. Alle pazienti è stato inoltre sottoposto il questionario DASH. RISULTATI Sono state arruolate 15 pazienti di sesso femminile di età media 61±9 aa. L’analisi statistica non ha rilevato differenze statisticamente significative tra lo spessore del gran pettorale omolaterale all’intervento e il controlaterale e tra il gran dorsale omolaterale all’intervento e il controlaterale. Anche per quanto riguarda i parametri relativi all’analisi della scala di grigi non sono state riscontrate differenze statisticamente significative tra il muscolo affetto e quello sano, anche se analizzando i dati delle pazienti in base alle caratteristiche anamnestiche è risultato un aumento significativo della curtosi del gran dorsale nelle pazienti con maggior numero di mesi trascorsi dall’intervento e una maggiore curtosi del gran pettorale nelle pazienti sottoposte a linfadenectomia ascellare. I ROM di spalla in flessione anteriore ed estensione si sono mostrati significativamente più ridotti nella spalla omolaterale all’intervento, il ROM in abduzione non ha mostrato differenze significative tra i due lati ma è risultato bilateralmente ridotto rispetto ai dati normativi. Il punteggio della scala DASH si è dimostrato elevato rispetto ai dati normativi. CONCLUSIONI Questo studio ha confermato l’importanza di una presa in carico riabilitativa precoce nelle pazienti sottoposte a chirurgia oncologica mammaria. L’assenza di differenze statisticamente significative tra i due muscoli e i controlaterali fa pensare alla presenza di una buona possibilità di recupero. È stata confermata inoltre la presenza di linfadenectomia ascellare come fattore prognostico negativo rafforzando quindi l’importanza della presa in carico riabilitativa in tali pazienti. Anche i risultati della scala DASH hanno sottolineato come tali limitazioni tali limitazioni influiscano negativamente sulla qualità di vita.
L’indagine ecografica dei muscoli gran pettorale e gran dorsale nella valutazione dei pazienti con limitazione funzionale di spalla in esiti di chirurgia oncologica mammaria.
SENO, IRENE
2022/2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients undergoing breast oncological surgery often experience chronic conditions characterized by pain and functional limitations in the scapular girdle on the side of the operated breast. At the lymphedema clinic of our department, patients who have undergone breast oncological surgery are sent weekly by the Breast Unit of our hospital for the identification of subclinical secondary lymphedema. From clinical practice, it also emerges that these visits frequently reveal functional limitations caused by pain during active and passive mobilization and reduced joint range of motion. These signs are often accompanied by limitations in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In particular, palpation often reveals significant tension in the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study is to evaluate the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles using ultrasound, comparing the ultrasound image characteristics of these muscles with those of the healthy contralateral side and correlating the ultrasound findings with the clinical assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifteen patients who had undergone breast oncological surgery and were referred to the lymphedema clinic of our department were recruited for the study. They underwent both clinical and ultrasound evaluations. During the clinical assessment, the range of motion (ROM) of the affected shoulder and the healthy shoulder was evaluated. Using the ultrasound machine, images of the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles were acquired before the myotendinous junction in the transverse axis on both the affected and healthy sides. From these images, the muscle thickness was measured, and using the ImageJ software, an analysis of the image’s echogenicity was conducted by assessing the grayscale, calculating parameters such as mean, mode, standard deviation, kurtosis, and skewness. The patients also completed the DASH (Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) questionnaire. RESULTS Fifteen female patients with an average age of 61±9 years were enrolled in the study. Statistical analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the thickness of the pectoralis major muscle on the side of the surgery and the contralateral side, nor between the latissimus dorsi muscle on the side of the surgery and the contralateral side. Regarding the parameters from the grayscale analysis, no statistically significant differences were found between the affected and healthy muscles. However, analysing the data based on the patients' medical history, a significant increase in kurtosis of the latissimus dorsi was observed in patients with a greater number of months post-surgery, and a greater kurtosis of the pectoralis major was found in patients who underwent axillary lymphadenectomy. The shoulder range of motion (ROM) in forward flexion and extension was significantly more reduced in the shoulder on the side of the surgery, while the ROM in abduction did not show significant differences between the two sides, but was bilaterally reduced compared to normative data. The DASH score was found to be high compared to normative values. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the importance of early rehabilitative management in patients undergoing breast oncological surgery. The absence of statistically significant differences between the two muscles and their contralateral counterparts suggests a good potential for recovery. The presence of axillary lymphadenectomy was also confirmed as a negative prognostic factor, further emphasizing the importance of rehabilitative management in these patients. Additionally, the results from the DASH scale highlighted how such limitations negatively affect the QoL.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12608/82029