title: [Clinical value of preserving intercostal-brachial nerve during breast cancer operations].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the value of preserving intercostal-brachial nerve during axillary dissection for breast neoplasms.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 1996 to December 1997, stage I, II breast cancer patients were divided into experimental group (n = 45) and control group (n = 60) respectively. The intercostal-brachial nerve was preserved in the experimental group and not in the control group. Both were followed up after operations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperation morbidity of arm sensory disturbance was 7.1% in the experimental group, which was significantly different from that of the control group(63.3%, chi2 = 34.69, P < 0.01). No difference was noted in the recurrence rate between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preserving intercostal-brachial nerve may significantly decrease the morbidity of postoperation arm sensory disturbance during axillary dissection for stage I, II breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome