Scientific surgery

Abstract

Seventy-three from the original cohort of 120 women were reviewed after 3 years. There was no difference in survival or axillary recurrence. Fewer women with a preserved nerve had abnormal subjective sensation (P = 0·006), and they had a smaller area of mapped sensory deficit (P = 0·009). The study included 1851 women and confirmed that lumpectomy followed by breast irradiation continues to be the appropriate therapy for women with breast cancer, provided that the margins of the resected specimen are free from tumour.Yoo CH, Son BH, Han WK, Pae WK. Nasogastric decompression is not necessary in operations for gastric cancer: prospective randomised trial. Eur J Surg 2002; 168: 379-383.The study included 136 patients who had a gastrectomy for cancer. No patient died, and all other outcome measures were similar between the groups. Two patients in each group had to have a nasogastric tube reinserted.Bergenflez A, Lindblom P, Tibblin S, Westerdahl J. Unilateral versus bilateral exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg 2002; 236: 543-551.Ninety-one patients were randomized and 88 were cured. Cure rates were similar in the two groups. Patients who had bilateral neck exploration had longer operations and a higher incidence of symptomatic hypocalcaemia postoperatively.