Effect of fixation of skin flaps on seroma formation after mastectomy

ABSTRACT

Post mastectomy seroma can lead to morbid sequelae. Thirty females, divided into 2 equal matched groups, were submitted to modified radical mastectomy for operable cancer breast in the surgical deprtment of the Medical Research Institute. For group I, dead space was reduced by suturing skin flaps to underlying chest wall muscles to determine its effect on post mastectomy seroma, while group II acted as control. Group I showed statistically significant better results than group II as regards mean total discharge [P<0.001] and mean discharge per day [P<0.001]. Wound discharge ceased within 2-4 days and 5-9 days in group [I] and [II] respectively. This technique is recommended to be used to reduce post-mastectomy seroma formation, moreover, it has beneficial clinical and economic effects