The Breast : official journal of the European Society of Mastology
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Review Meta Analysis
Preservation or division of the intercostobrachial nerve in axillary dissection for breast cancer: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Management of the ICBN during axillary dissection is controversial and the division of ICBN is often trivialised. The effect of dividing the ICBN, and its association with sensory disturbance, is unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of preserving the ICBN during axillary dissection. ⋯ This meta-analysis demonstrates that division of the ICBN is associated with higher risk of sensory disturbance, and that the nature of this sensory disturbance is more likely to be hyposensitivity, attributable to reduced nerve function.