A new British study has shown that women discharged 2 days after surgery for breast cancer had no more complications than those who received the United Kingdom's (UK) standard care of about 7 days in the hospital.
Researchers from Christie Hospital in Manchester, England, randomized 100 women undergoing surgery for early-stage breast cancer to be discharged from the hospital after 2 days, with an axillary drain still in place, or to remain until the drain was removed. Standard management in the UK generally keeps women hospitalized until wound drainage is less than 50 mL per day and the drain is removed.
Women who were discharged early received information on wound drainage and care. Their partners were given the same information. The women also received daily telephone calls and every-other-day visits from specialist nurses. A 24-hour telephone hotline was available for all patients in the study.
Three months after . . . [Full Text of this Article]
