earticle

영어

Purpose : The aim of this study was to ascertain whether or not manual lymph drainage (MLD) for breast cancer clients with unilateral lymphedema results in a measurable change in the skin edema and quality of life (QOL), using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) as the study instrument, and percentage excess volume change as a result of treatment correlated with change in QOL. Methods : Fifty-three clients who had developed unilateral lymphedema after the breast cancer treatment were treated with MLD. Percentage excess volume and QOL was recorded before and after intensive manual lymph drainage. Percentage excess volume and QOL scores were assessed by paired t-test. Pearson's product-moment coefficients of correlation were calculated to examine the relationships between the percentage excess volume and the score of QOL. Results : Percentage excess volume was significantly (p<.05) decreased after MLD. The QOL scores in the role-physical, mental health after MLD were significantly (p<.05) higher than the scores before MLD, indicating an improvement in the QOL. The change in percentage excess volume was associated with a change in physical functioning, vitality, bodily pain and general health after MLD (p<.05). Conclusion : This study suggests that significant improvements are made in the skin edema and the QOL of breast cancer clients with unilateral lymphedema, which is necessarily correlated with limb reduction.