[Initial experiences with shorter hospital stays after primary surgery for breast carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To describe some personal, medical and financial consequences of moving up the discharge of patients from hospital after an operation because of breast carcinoma.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
Department of Oncological Surgery, Medical Centre, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with breast cancer were operated during the period March to August 1997. Thirteen patients of this group were discharged sooner after operation, with the drain still in situ; the other 22 remained in hospital until after removal of the drain. Medical and financial consequences were investigated.


RESULTS
The patient characteristics of the two groups were similar. In the group discharged earlier, the number of postoperative days in hospital on average was 4.5 days smaller. The number of postoperative complications in the two groups were similar; development of seroma after removal of the drain occurred less frequently in the group discharged earlier. The financial savings amounted to an average of Dfl. 2497.-per patient. The patients discharged earlier were very satisfied.


CONCLUSIONS
The orientative study suggests that moving up discharge after a breast cancer operation is a policy that is safe, financially advantageous and satisfactory to the patients.
Schoop
R A
RA
Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, afd. Heelkunde-Oncologie, Leiden.
Welvaart
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K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome