Mastectomy: Is it safe to have blood pressure taken on the side of surgery?

It depends on the type of mastectomy you've had. At one time, the only breast cancer surgery was radical mastectomy — in which the surgeon removed the breast, the underlying chest muscles and all of the lymph nodes under the arm. In such cases, arm swelling (lymphedema) was a serious concern. Women who had radical mastectomies were warned to avoid constriction of the affected arm to prevent lymphedema.

Treatment of breast cancer now typically involves a modified mastectomy, which removes only the sentinel lymph nodes — those closest to the cancer. Lymphedema of the arm is uncommon in women who have had this type of surgery. If swelling does occur, it's typically mild and short-term, resolving within a year after surgery. As a result, constriction of the arm is unlikely to cause swelling.

If you have only had your sentinel nodes removed, it is safe to have blood pressure readings taken — as well as blood drawn — on the side of the surgery. However, it's better to use the unaffected arm when possible.