An analysis of factors that influence the duration of suction drainage in breast cancer surgery.
BACKGROUND
The duration of suction drainage in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery is difficult to predict. The uncertainty this poses may complicate the development of a clinical pathway for patients with breast cancer. In this study we attempted to identify factors that may influence the duration of suction drainage in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.


METHODS
We examined the relationships between the duration of suction drainage and several clinical factors including type of drainage tube in 60 patients with primary breast cancer who underwent surgical resection at the Nippon Medical School Hospital in 2004 and 2005. The drainage tubes were removed 1 day after the daily drainage volume had decreased to less than 50 mL or on the seventh postoperative day in patients in whom such a decrease did not occur. All patients were discharged from the hospital 1 or 2 days after the drains were removed.


RESULTS
Seroma was observed in all patients. No complications associated with the drainage were observed. The median duration of drainage was 4.5 days, and the range was 2 to 7 days. Univariate analyses revealed significant relationships between the duration of drainage and the following 5 factors: patient age at surgery, body mass index, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and type of surgery (total breast resection or partial breast resection). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant statistical associations between the duration of drainage and the other factors, including the type of drainage tube.


CONCLUSIONS
None of the factors examined was strongly associated with the duration of drainage. This study has shown that any type of drainage tube can be used in breast cancer surgery, in regards to the duration of drainage, and that patient discharge 1 or 2 days after drainage tube removal is appropriate.
Iida
Shinya
S
Surgery for Organ Function and Biological Regulation, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. shinya1s@nms.ac.jp
Furukawa
Kiyonori
K
Yanagihara
Keiko
K
Iwasaki
Reiko
R
Kurita
Tomoko
T
Tsuchiya
Shinichi
S
Naito
Zenya
Z
Haga
Shunsuke
S
Tajiri
Takashi
T
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D013396:Suction; D013997:Time Factors