Almost all of the studies on lymphedema are incredibly weak, based on inaccurate or conflicting measures of arm circumference. The RN was freaking out because her textbook most likely references a nearly 70 year old study, with 6 patients, that showed an increased risk of LE in the first 2 years after a RADICAL mastectomy with IV starts and BP measures.
They perpetuate this myth that LE is a significant risk in modern patients (poll your nurses and you will also find that they assume the same risk with SLNB patients and patients with mastectomy WITHOUT axillary staging - they simply do not know what they don't know, or what the risks are).
However, it is true that the risk doesn't go away after 2 years and it can occur 20 years out; its just pretty darn low. You can assume that a patient operated on 20 years ago had a MRM with a larger number of nodes removed than in modern hands.
My tactic is to educate patient and nursing staff about the *reasonable* risks and if the patient has other access, to use it. Recent study presented at ASBS (Amer Soc of Breast Surgeons) showed that 75% of patients operated on for breast cancer report concern over LE, modern day rates with SLNB and AxND are single digits. So the fear and ignorance far outweighs the risk, but why take a chance *if* you have other reasonable access points.
Can't say I've ever had an EJ placed in my bilateral patients. Seems like a lot of work and possible complications for a patient who's going home in 24 hours or less.