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Question Is early discharge after surgery for breast cancer associated with wound or drainage complications, changes in patient satisfaction, or psychosocial problems?
Design
Randomised controlled trial.
Setting
A general hospital and cancer clinic at a university hospital in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Patients
139 women with operable breast cancer (stage I or II) who were eligible for modified radical mastectomy or lumpectomy with axillary dissection. Exclusion criteria were radiotherapy or chemotherapy before surgery, or high risk of complications. Follow up was 90%.
Intervention
Randomisation was done before admission. 69 women were allocated to early discharge (morning of day 4 after surgery). A discharge protocol, developed to guarantee continuity of care, included patient information, referral to a community health nurse, an emergency telephone number, and …