Premium
Patient risk factors and surgical morbidity after regional lymphadenectomy in 204 melanoma patients
Author(s) -
Urist Marshall M.,
Maddox William A.,
Kennedyy Janet E.,
Balch Charles M.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19830601)51:11<2152::aid-cncr2820511134>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - medicine , lymphedema , groin , surgery , dissection (medical) , axilla , melanoma , lymphadenectomy , complication , lymph node , axillary lymph node dissection , breast cancer , sentinel lymph node , cancer , cancer research
A series of 204 melanoma patients were studied six months or longer after regional lymph node dissection of the neck (N = 48), axilla (N = 98) and groin (N = 58) in order to determine the degree of morbidity and analyze for risk factors associated with these procedures. Only one‐quarter of the patients experienced wound‐related, short‐term complications that were common at all sites; however, these rarely resulted in long‐term functional deficits. Seromas (22%), temporary nerve dysfunction or pain (14%), and wound infections (6%) were the most frequent short‐term complications. Wound complications extended the mean hospital stay by 0.6 to 4.8 days. Residual lymphedema of the leg was measurable in 26% of groin dissection patients after six months or longer; most of the edema was confined to the thigh. Only 8% of patients had significant functional deficit from lymphedema. The risk of developing at least one complication for all patients was increased for obese patients ( P = 0.05) and increasing age ( P =.01). These risk factors should be considered when evaluating melanoma patients for regional lymph node dissection.