title: Effectiveness of fibrin glue in conjunction with collagen patches to reduce seroma formation after axillary lymphadenectomy for breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Axillary lymphadenectomy remains an integral part of breast cancer treatment, yet seroma formation occurs in 15% to 85% of cases. Among methods employed to reduce seroma magnitude and duration, fibrin glue has been proposed in numerous studies, with controversial results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients underwent quadrantectomy or mastectomy with level I/II axillary lymphadenectomy; a suction drain was fitted in all patients. Fibrin glue spray and a collagen patch were applied to the axillary fossa in 25 patients; the other 25 patients were treated conventionally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suction drainage was removed between postoperative days 3 and 4. Seroma magnitude and duration were significantly reduced (P = .004 and .02, respectively) and there were fewer evacuative punctures in patients receiving fibrin glue and collagen patches compared with the conventional treatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of fibrin glue with collagen patches does not always prevent seroma formation, but it does reduce seroma magnitude and duration, as well as necessary evacuative punctures.
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, III General Surgery Division, Naples, Italy. roberto.ruggiero@unina2.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Procaccini
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Docimo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iovino
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoniol
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Irlandese
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gili
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lo Schiavo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D049291:Seroma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013396:Suction; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D003094:Collagen