title: Prevention of seroma formation after mastectomy and axillary dissection by lymph vessel ligation and dead space closure: a randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to reduce the incidence of seroma formation by altering surgical technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred one breast cancer patients were randomly divided into 2 arms: arm 1 was operated on using an altered surgical technique, which is to ligate all of the tissue connecting axillary vein bundles to the specimen, to suture the anterior edge of the latissimus dorsi to the chest wall, and to fix the skin flap to the underlying muscle by subcutaneous sutures; arm 2 was operated on using the conventional technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The drainage volume, in the initial 3 days, for patients in arm 1 was significantly less than that for patients in arm 2 (P < .01). The duration of drainage in arm 1 was shorter than that in arm 2 (P < .01). The incidence of seroma formation in arm 1 (2%) was significantly less than that in arm 2 (14%) (P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified operating technique is an effective approach to reducing the incidence of seroma formation after mastectomy and axillary dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Yiping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xinhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Demian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049291:Seroma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome