The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Oct 1997
Management of tracheobronchial injuries following blunt and penetrating trauma.
Disruptions of the trachea and bronchi are an infrequent but a life-threatening injury following trauma. We reviewed our experience with tracheobronchial injury from 1988 to 1996. Out of 12,789 trauma patients treated at a university Level I trauma center, 16 patients (0.13%) with tracheobronchial injuries were seen. ⋯ Nonoperative management was successful in three (19%). Early mortality was 13 per cent. A high index of suspicion is essential for rapid diagnosis and successful surgical intervention in patients with tracheobronchial injuries.
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We attempted to show that surgical treatment of breast cancer, including axillary lymph node dissection with or without concomitant partial mastectomy (ALND), simple mastectomy (SM), and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) can be performed safely in an outpatient setting. The records of 100 consecutive women undergoing definitive breast cancer surgery by the authors between August 1994 and July 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. Average age was 54 +/- 10 years. ⋯ No complications occurred in outpatients, and there were no readmissions. For patients admitted overnight, no complications were detected during the overnight hospital stay. In conclusion, breast cancer surgery, from ALND to SM or MRM, can be safely and comfortably performed on an outpatient basis.