Samreena Riaz, Salim Soomro, Shahneela Manzoor, Dileep Kumar, Deen Mohammad.
Assessment of Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Using DASH Scoring System after Axillary Dissection for Breast Cancer.
Pak J Surg Jan ;31(2):111-4.

Objective:To assess the disability of arm, shoulder and hand using DASH scoring system aft er axillary dissection of breast cancer. Design:Descriptive Case Series. Sett ing and Duration:Department of General Surgery (Ward 02), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre ( JPMC), Karachi, nine years study. Methodology:400 patients of breast cancer were inducted in the study. Th eir wrist/hand or shoulder problems were evaluated by use of standard DASH questionnaires at the end of the fourth week post operatively. Results:A total number of 400 patients undergone axillary dissection for breast cancer were analysed. Th e mean age of patients was 44.8 ± 8.7 years, the mean duration of disease was 10.5 ± 5.6 months and the DASH score was 1002.6 ± 187.2. Th e age of patients were compared with the disability, determined by DASH score, and was found to be statistically signifi cant, p value of <0.024, with younger age group suff ering mild disability and elder age group suff ering moderate disability. Conclusion:Th e study showed that disability of arm, shoulder and hand occurs post axillary dissection for breast cancer. Th ere appears to be a highly signifi cant relationship between the age of patients and disability (determined by DASH scores) refl ecting that elder patients are prone to more disability as compared to the younger ones.

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