A novel modality for intraoperative margin assessment and its impact on re-excision rates in breast conserving surgery.

Background: A single center retrospective chart review was performed examining the ability of a novel radiofrequency probe (Margin Probe; Dune Medical Devices, Caesarea, Israel) for intraoperative margin assessment to reduce the number of reexcisions in breast-conserving surgery.

Methods: Reexcision rates were evaluated in one-hundred and twenty consecutive patients before and after the institution of the device. Utility of the device was evaluated by comparing intraoperative feedback with postoperative pathology reports.

Breast Cancer in a 19-Year-Old Female Adolescent Identified with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.

Background: Breast cancer is rare in adolescents. In one study, breast carcinoma accounted for 0.02% of breast masses surgically removed in young women.

Improving breast cancer care through a regional quality collaborative.

Background: Regional collaborative organizations provide an effective structure for improving the quality of surgical care. With low complication rates and a long latency between surgical care and outcomes such as survival and local recurrence, quality measurement in breast cancer surgery is ideally suited to process measures. Diagnostic biopsy technique for breast cancer diagnosis is measurable and amenable to change at the provider level.

Paravertebral blocks in breast cancer surgery: is there a difference in postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting?

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate postoperative pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients with paravertebral blocks (PVB) undergoing breast cancer surgery with or without axillary staging.

Methods: An Institutional Review Board approved, retrospective chart review from January 2007 to December 2009 was performed at a single institution. Charts were reviewed for type of breast cancer surgery, axillary staging, PVB, PONV, postoperative pain score, dosages of pain medication and antiemetic medication given in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and during the postoperative days (POD).

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from organic aerosols using hollow fiber micro-porous membrane liquid-liquid extraction (HF-MMLLE) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

A method for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aerosols was developed. Instead of conventionally used non-polar or slightly polar phenylmethylpolysiloxane column a highly polar, highly substituted, cyanopropyl column (VF-23 MS) was used for separation of PAHs. Based on hollow fiber micro-porous membrane liquid-liquid extraction (HF-MMLLE) a method was developed for sample clean up and pretreatment.