title: Early hospital discharge following breast cancer surgery in the West Indies: a Trinidad study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the outcome of a policy of early hospital discharge (<24 hours) after breast cancer surgery in a Third World setting, where health care resources and support services are very limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective enrollment into a plan of early hospital discharge within 24 hours following breast surgery. Followup was conducted for wound infections; seroma formation; flap dehiscence; and readmission, if any.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients over a 15-year period who underwent wide local excision or mastectomy and axillary clearance were enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 331 patients were entered into the study. Of these, 148 had modified radical mastectomy and 183 had wide local excision plus axillary dissection. Each patient had a drain placed and output was recorded. Follow-up revealed that there was no increase in the complication rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early hospital discharge following breast cancer surgery is a feasible option for most patients and can be safely implemented even in a resource-limited setting where cost containment is essential.
authors: Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad.
authors: Vijay
authors: V
authors: Naraynsingh
authors: Rakesh
authors: R
authors: Rambally
authors: Ravi
authors: R
authors: Maharaj
authors: Dilip
authors: D
authors: Dan
authors: Seetharaman
authors: S
authors: Hariharan
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D049291:Seroma / Q000453:epidemiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago