Nursing Care of Patients with Extremity Sarcomas Postoperatively

While oncological management of extremity sarcomas has advanced, postoperative recovery remains a critical phase where nursing care plays a pivotal role in ensuring physical, emotional, and psychological recuperation. Nursing care includes a wide range of interventions designed to enhance recovery and reduce complications. This review highlights key aspects of nursing practice, including pain management, wound care, mobility, and psychosocial support, with a particular focus on individualized and nurse-led interventions. Effective pain control is achieved through a multimodal approach, involving pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, while wound care protocols emphasize sterile techniques and infection surveillance. Early mobilization under nurse guidance and collaboration with physiotherapists helps prevent complications such as deep vein thrombosis, while psychological distress, particularly related to prognosis and physical disfigurement, necessitates proactive support from nurses. In addition, patient education is crucial, with nurses providing essential guidance on home care, activity restrictions, and prosthetic use. Interdisciplinary collaboration involving nurses, physiotherapists, oncologists, and psychologists enhances patient outcomes and satisfaction. Nurse-led care models, including specialized clinics, follow-up programs, and early discharge initiatives, have demonstrated effectiveness in improving patient outcomes, facilitating timely recovery, and reducing healthcare costs. Overall, nurse-led care ensures a holistic, patient-centered approach to postoperative care, improving both clinical outcomes and quality of life for extremity sarcoma patients.

Keywords: Extremity Sarcoma, Postoperative Nursing Care, Pain Management, Wound Care, Rehabilitation, Psychosocial Support, Nursing Interventions.