Study: Regional Anesthesia Can Improve Long-Term Survival Rates in Patients With Malignant Melanoma

Regional anesthesia can improve survival rates in patients with malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to a study presented at this year’s American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting.

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The study examined the medical records of 273 patients who underwent inguinal lymph node dissection after primary malignant melanoma of the leg, either with regional or general anesthesia, between 1998 and 2005. Fifty-two patients received spinal anesthesia, while the other 221 patients received general anesthesia

Results showed a significantly better cumulative survival rate over 10 years after spinal anesthesia compared to general anesthesia. The mean survival time for patients who underwent spinal anesthesia was 95.9 months, compared to 70.4 months for patients who received general anesthesia.

Read the news release on improved survival rates associated with regional anesthesia.

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