BMJ 1999;318:1210 ( 1 May )

Letters

Early discharge after surgery for breast cancer

    Three quarters of patients could not be discharged early, even with support
    Hotel wards are good option for patients
    More evidence in favour of early discharge
    Authors' reply

Three quarters of patients could not be discharged early, even with support

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---We too have found the positive effects of early discharge of patients with breast cancer. Of our last 100 operations for breast cancer, 23 patients were suitable for and accepted early discharge with the axillary drain in situ. Interestingly, 41 patients were deemed fit enough for early discharge and to have adequate social support but declined for various reasons, including feeling safer in hospital, needing the rest, and problems associated with the husband's employment. Two patients who had paid into the hospital's "Saturday fund" were anxious to stay in hospital as payments are related to the number of days in hospital.

The unit in Bundred et al's1 study had a policy of daily phone calls and daily visits by a breast nurse after early discharge. Few breast units are likely to be able to afford to employ highly skilled breast care nurses for this purpose. Our policy is to give full . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Randomised controlled trial of effects of early discharge after surgery for breast cancer
Nigel Bundred, Peter Maguire, Jill Reynolds, Jill Grimshaw, Julie Morris, Lesley Thomson, Lester Barr, and Andrew Baildam
BMJ 1998 317: 1275-1279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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