Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Nicholas Athey, Professor David Leaper
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Introduction: The standard locoregional management of breast cancer is excision of the primary tumour and axillary staging with suction drainage of the axilla. The objective of this study was to determine the safety, tolerability and efficacy of day-case surgery without suction drainage. Patients and Methods: A review of complete, prospectively collected data was performed on all breast cancer patients (screening and symptomatic) planned to undergo day-case axillary surgery at a University Teaching Hospital between 2000 and 2002. Postoperative complications were recorded and the notes of patients not discharged on the day of their surgery were also examined to establish the reason for overnight stay. Results: 165 patients underwent intended day-case axillary surgery (axillary dissection level 1/2; median age, 55 years; range, 39-76 years). Of these, 16 (9.7%) were admitted overnight usually due to over-running of theatre lists (n = 13; 81%). 29 patients (17.6%) underwent axillary dissection alone, the remainder had axillary surgery combined with wide local excision (median number of lymph nodes excised 11; range, 2-18). Complications included symptomatic seroma formation in 37 patients (22%) and wound infection in 16 patients (10%). Conclusions: Day-case axillary surgery can be performed safely with surgical morbidity comparing favourably to published work of 'traditional' axillary drainage following lymphadenectomy.
Author(s): Athey N, Gilliam AD, Sinha P, Kurup VJ, Hennessey C, Leaper DJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Year: 2005
Volume: 87
Issue: 2
Pages: 96-98
ISSN (print): 0035-8843
ISSN (electronic): 1478-7083
Publisher: The Royal College of Surgeons of England
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1308/1478708051667
DOI: 10.1308/1478708051667
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
