title: Total number of lymph nodes and number of metastatic lymph nodes harvested during radical mastectomy did not influence early postoperative drainage volume.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed at evaluation of the influence of the extent of axillary lymph node dissection, measured by the total number of lymph nodes harvested, on the drainage volume. We also looked at the lymph node positivity (N+) and the number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes as a potential prognostic factors in this regard.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have analysed the data of 63 patients (F/M: 62/1) with breast cancer who underwent radical modified mastectomy in 2008-2009 in the single department of surgical oncology
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no significant correlation between the 1) total number of axillary lymph nodes harvested during lymphadenectomy 2) presence of metastatic lymph nodes (node positive disease), 3) number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes and: drainage volume on the day of surgery drainage volume on three consecutive postoperative days and drainage volume from the day of surgery to drain removal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extent of axillary lymph node dissection, measured by the total number of lymph nodes excised, did not influence drainage volume after radical modified mastectomy Neither total number of metastatic lymph nodes excised nor the node positivity (N+) were associated with increased drainage volume after mastectomy with axillary dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute of Oncology, Cancer Center, Kraków, Poland. z5wysock@cyf-kr.edu.pl
authors.forename: Wojciech M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wysocki
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burzyński
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stelmach
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blecharz
authors.forename: Jerzy W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mituś
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wysocka
authors.forename: Andrzej L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Komorowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004322:Drainage; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis