Kosin Med J.  2011 Jun;26(1):67-75.

Function of Shoulder and Quality of Life between Operation of Thyroid Cancer

• Kim IT
• Kim JH
• Sim YJ
• Jeong HJ
• Kim GC

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To determine which factors are changed in the thyroid cancer postoperative care and how quality of life compared between patients who had undergone modified radical neck dissection and selective neck dissection.
METHODS
Prospectively, total 151 patients who diagnosed as thyroid cancer and underwent 16 modified radical neck dissection (mRND) or 135 selective neck dissection (SND) were evaluated for shoulder function, neck mobility, and quality of life and degree of depression at baseline, 2 days and 1 week postoperatively. All patients performed neck and shoulder stretching exercise three times a day beginning the morning following surgery. Shoulder function was assessed with the Constant's shoulder scale. Quality of life was assessed with the SF36v2 questionnaire. And depression was assessed with Beck depression inventory (BDI).
RESULTS
The disability scores of patients were significantly worse for neck range of motion (ROM), shoulder pain, ADL, shoulder ROM, shoulder abduction power, total score of Constant's shoulder scale, physical function domain in SF-36v2 and BDI score & grade 2 days after the surgeries. SF36v2 domain score was no significantly difference between two groups.
CONCLUSION
The mRND and SND are risk factors for neck ROM limitation, shoulder dysfunction, and onset of depression. In comparison between mRND and SND, more deterioration in ADL, shoulder abduction power, total score of Constant's shoulder scale are associated with modified radical neck dissection. More study is needed about usefulness of the stretching exercise in shoulder pain onset through comparison with control group.

Keyword

Quality of life; Shoulder pain; Thyroid cancer

MeSH Terms

Activities of Daily Living
Depression
Humans
Neck
Neck Dissection
Postoperative Care
Prospective Studies
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Range of Motion, Articular
Risk Factors
Shoulder
Shoulder Pain
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Neoplasms