ASO Author Reflections: Abandoning the Drains by Eliminating the Radical Procedures Necessitating the Drains

Excerpt

Axillary dissection still is performed for many patients with node-positive breast cancer. To reduce the risk of seroma, a suction drain is inserted into the axillary cavity by most surgeons. Although axillary drains effectively prevent seroma, they have the potential to prolong hospital stay and compromise patients’ short-term quality of life. Numerous trials have evaluated different methods to reduce drainage volume, including systemic drugs, topical fibrin glues, and surgical dead space closure. The overall success of these trials has been limited, and drains remain the standard of care. Fibrin sealant patches have the capacity to seal the wound surface of the axilla after dissection. Several studies and a meta-analysis have suggested a beneficial impact of these patches on lymphatic drainage after various lymphadenectomy procedures.1 The current study investigated the impact of fibrin sealant patches on the volume of axillary drainage after dissection for breast cancer.2 …