[Regional analgesia and breast cancer surgery]

Breast cancer surgery is frequently associated with postoperative nausea, vomiting, pain and painful restricted movement. It is well established that thoracic paravertebral block with or without general anesthesia provides better postoperative analgesia and reduces the risk of nausea and vomiting after breast surgery as well as the incidence of chronic pain. Paravertebral block improves the quality of recovery after breast cancer surgery and provides the patient with the option of ambulatory discharge

Outcome of cancer patients admitted to the intensive cave unit [ICU].

This is a retrospective study aiming to determine the cause, the survival and the factors influencing survival in cancer patients admitted to an ICU. Between January 1998 and June1999, 181cancer patients were admitted to the ICU of HDF hospital [a general academic hospital of 300 beds]. One hundred fifteen patients were admitted after surgery and 66 for medical reasons. Among the non-surgical group, 37 had solid tumors and 29 had hematological malignancies. Most of non-surgical patients were admitted for respiratory or infectious complications due to their disease or treatment-related [59 patients]. Among the non-surgical group of patients, 44 required mechanical ventilation [MV]. The mortality rate was 41% during ICU recovery, 62% during the hospitalization period, 73% at 2 months from discharge and 83% at last follow-up. The duration of stay in the ICU was the only factor affecting mortality. Age, disease type and MV did not influence the mortality rate in this population