[Tactile sensibility in arm of women subjected to the axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
to identify sensitivity alteration in the intercostal brachial nerve pathway using an extensiometer, and to observe the measurement reproducibility of the apparatus.


METHODS
the Semmes-Weinstein extensiometer was used to evaluate the sensitivity along the intercostal brachial nerve pathway. Ninety-four women have participated in the study, divided into two groups: a CA Group composed of 47 women submitted to breast cancer axillary lymphadenectomy, and a comparative group composed of 47 women without breast cancer, who had not been submitted to any kind of axillary surgery. Each participant underwent anamnesis and two consecutive applications of the extensiometer. The Control Group responses to the extensiometer test were used as normality reference values.


RESULTS
based on Control Group responses, the prevalence of sensitivity changes was 85.1% in the CA Group. Reproducibility of the extensiometer application was confirmed in the CA Group through the Kappa's test (p=0.8).


CONCLUSIONS
in this studied sample, sensitivity alterations had high prevalence; evaluations made with the extensiometer were reproducible, and thus we consider the equipment reliable to evaluate sensitivity along the intercostal brachial nerve pathway.
Núcleo de Ensino, Pesquisa e Assistência na Reabilitação de Mastectomizadas da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo--USP--Ribeirão Preto (SP), Brasil.
Marina Scarulis Mamede Dos
MS
Santos
Marislei Sanches
MS
Panobianco
Marli Villela
MV
Mamede
Maria Cristina Cortez Carneiro
MC
Meirelles
Vanessa Mundim E
VM
Barros
D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation*; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020422:Mononeuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014110:Touch