Published in:
09-09-2023 | Seroma | Original Paper
Investigating the effect of suture flap fixation on seroma formation in breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy
Published in: European Journal of Plastic Surgery | Issue 6/2023
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Background
Seroma formation is the most frequent postoperative early or late complication observed in patients after mastectomy. Various methods have been investigated to prevent or reduce seroma formation, some of which have been proven effective while others have been ineffective. This study examined the effect of suture flap fixation in seroma formation.
Methods
This prospective observational study was conducted in 2019–2020 including 120 patients with breast cancer who were candidates of mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. Sixty patients receive sutures with flap fixation and 60 had conventional sutures. The volume of seroma, drain dwell duration and late seroma formation after drain removal were recorded. Data were analysed using SPSS V.24.
Results
Statistical comparison of two groups indicated a significant difference in seroma volume (142 cc in the flap fixation (ff) vs 354 cc in conventional (con) group, p = 0.0005), drain dwell duration (shorter than a week in 90% of patients in the ff group vs 48.3% in the second group) and late seroma formation (1.66% in the ff group vs 38.3% in the con group). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, breast size and having triple-negative breast cancer had significant association with seroma formation (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
Flap fixation does not cause completely prevent of seroma formation, but it significantly reduces seroma, the number of days of drainage and late seroma formation.
Level of evidence: Level III, risk / prognostic study.