Axillary Web Syndrome / Axillary Cording
Axillary cording sometimes develops following surgery to the axilla eg. Sentinel node biopsy or axillary dissection. The incidence ranges between 20% (for SLNB) to 70% (for axillary dissection).
Scar tissue from the axillary surgery to remove the nodes mainly contributes to the cording.
During surgery and wound healing, the connective tissue surrounding the bundles of blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves contracts and hardens resulting in a web of thick, rope like or cord like structures to form under the skin of the axilla. It can appear and seen as that if the strings of a guitar.
Cording typically occurs from several days to weeks after surgery and some can develop months later.
The cords can be painful and tight and makes it difficult for you to lift your arm fully resulting in limited range of movement.
Management
This can be treated successfully. It should not be delayed and it’s not recommended to wait for it to resolve on its own
Your doctor will refer you to a physiotherapist who specializes in breast cancer rehabilitation.
Treatment plan includes :
- Analgesia
- Massage Therapy by physiotherapist to gently disconnect the cords
- Stretching and Flexibility Exercise
The cording will resolve after a few therapy sessions and continuous mobility exercise is advised.
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