The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
Segmental mastectomy and tamoxifen alone provide adequate locoregional control of breast cancer in elderly women.
We wished to determine whether tamoxifen and local excision without breast radiation or axillary lymph node dissection provides adequate local and regional control of breast cancer in elderly women. The records of 36 women with breast cancer who were more than 70 years old and were treated only with tamoxifen and local excision from January 1985 to July 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients had refused, or were considered too ill for, standard therapy. ⋯ Pathologic grade, tumor size, and estrogen receptor and margin status were not predictive of recurrence. In conclusion, despite the omission of breast radiation and axillary dissection, there were only two locoregional recurrences, and both were easily treated surgically. In this select group of patients, local excision and tamoxifen provided adequate locoregional control of breast cancer in elderly women.
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
Comparative StudyComparison of laparoscopic and open adrenalectomy.
This review compares the outcomes of patients who have undergone laparoscopic and open adrenalectomy. Records of all patients who underwent adrenalectomy between January 1993 and December 1996 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, were reviewed. Ten patients underwent laparoscopic, and ten patients underwent open adrenalectomy. ⋯ Complications of LA included one patient who had a prolonged ileus and adrenal insufficiency and another patient who required readmission for adrenal insufficiency. Complications of OA included one patient who had a prolonged ileus and one patient who had a 20 per cent pneumothorax. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the preferred technique in nonmalignant adrenal lesions less than 6 cm in size.
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
Seatbelt sign following blunt trauma is associated with increased incidence of abdominal injury.
The use of seatbelts has reduced the overall mortality associated with motor vehicle accidents. The use of lap belts has, however, been associated with a constellation of abdominal injuries, which has been termed "the seatbelt syndrome." Previous studies have shown no increase in overall rates of abdominal injury but an increase in intestinal injury with the use of lap belts. Retrospective reviews suggest that the presence of a "seatbelt sign" may further increase the risk of intestinal injury. ⋯ Of these 14, 9 (64%) had abdominal injury, 5 (36%) required operative intervention, and 3 (21%) had small bowel perforation. In contrast, the 103 patients without a seatbelt sign had significantly fewer abdominal injuries (9; 8.7%), laparotomies (4; 3.8%), and small intestine perforations (2; 103; 1.9%). We conclude that the presence of a seatbelt sign is associated with an increased likelihood of abdominal and intestinal injuries and mandates a heightened index of suspicion.
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
Factors related to outcome in blunt intestinal injuries requiring operation.
Associated factors related to outcome following blunt intestinal trauma requiring operative therapy were retrospectively reviewed in all trauma patients admitted to one Level I trauma center. Over 4.5 years, 7598 trauma patients were evaluated, with 62 patients having sustained 92 blunt intestinal injuries requiring operative intervention. Mean age was 34.5 years; mean Injury Severity Score was 22. ⋯ Mortality from operative blunt trauma was associated with admission blood pressure < or = 90 mm Hg (57 vs 13%; P < 0.05), age > or = 24 years (26 vs 0%; P < 0.05), and Injury Severity Score > or = 35 (70 vs 8%; P < 0.05). Morbidity was associated with age > or = 24 years (1.5 vs 0.7 comp/pt; P < 0.05) and delay in operative therapy > or = 24 hours (3.3 vs 1.1 comp/pt; P < 0.05). Overall mortality was 18 per cent.
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
The treatment of low cardiac output syndrome following cardiopulmonary bypass using delayed sternal closure.
The purpose of this study, was to ascertain whether delayed sternal closure (DSC) could eliminate the need for an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or ventricular assist device (VAD) in patients with low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). To investigate this, the records of 3014 patients undergoing CABG were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty (2.0%) patients had a relative or absolute contraindication to IABP or VAD use and required DSC for LCOS. ⋯ DSC appears to be a simple and safe method for treating LCOS following CABG. It is effective in resolving the majority of patients' LCOS without the addition of any significant morbidity. DSC also spares these patients the added morbidity, mortality, and cost associated with circulatory assist devices.