Application of the mobile-app-based case management in postoperative functional rehabilitation among breast cancer patients

Objective To explore the effect of the mobile-app-based case management on functional rehabilitation among breast cancer patients after operation. Methods A total of 120 breast cancer patients who had undergone axillary lymph node dissection in a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital in Zhengzhou city from January to December in 2017 were selected by convenient sampling. According to their admission time, 60 in-patients who were admitted between January and June in 2017 were assigned into the control group, and the other 60 in-patients who were admitted between July and December in 2017 were put into the observation group. In the control group, the patients were given by regular functional rehabilitation guidance for the affected limb while in the observation group, the patients were managed by mobile-app-based system besides the regular guidance. For both groups, the follow-up visit lasted for 6 months after surgery. The patients' incidence of edema, upper limbs and shoulder joints' function as well as their quality of life were compared and studied. Results The incidence of lymphedema at one month and six months after surgery in the observation group were lower than the control group with statistical significance (P<0.05) . Six months after surgery, the patients in the observation group were better than the control group in terms of the joint function, quality of life except the emotional condition with statistically significant difference (P<0.05) . Conclusions The implementation of the mobile-app-based case management for postoperative breast cancer patients can effectively promote the postoperative functional rehabilitation of affected limbs, reduce the occurrence of postoperative lymphedema, and improve their quality of life. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Quality of life; Functional exercise; Mobile APP; Case management; Lymphedema