title: Use of Quilting Sutures During Abdominoplasty to Prevent Seroma Formation: Are They Really Effective?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominoplasty surgery is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed in plastic surgery. As with any surgical procedure, it is associated with risks and complications, primarily that of seroma formation. Quilting sutures are a recent development in abdominoplasty surgery that aim to prevent the incidence of seroma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this article was to assess the effectiveness of quilting suturing in the prevention of seroma formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our retrospective clinical study, 414 female patients underwent abdominoplasty surgery with liposculpture contouring. The patients were divided in to three groups. The first group, comprising of 100 patients, were fitted with two drains postoperatively and no quilting sutures. The second group of 226 patients underwent quilting suturing in addition to receiving two drains. And the final group of 88 patients also underwent quilting suturing, but received only one drain. Post-operative seroma diagnosis was confirmed with the presence of clinical signs and symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data was analysed using Fisher's exact test. With P < .000, we rejected our null hypothesis that there is no difference in results between the procedure with sutures and that without sutures. We calculated that the probability of having seroma with sutures to be <0.02. In contrast, abstinence from quilting sutures resulted in a 12% risk of seroma formation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of quilting sutures is a significantly effective measure for the prevention of seroma formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  4 Therapeutic.
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Rodwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Husein
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andjelkov
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Paulo Cesar
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rozental-Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaccheddu
authors.affiliation: Dr Sforza Directs the Elective Internship Program in Plastic Surgery at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, and is an Examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Mr Husein is a Medical Student at Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom. Dr Andjelkov is a plastic surgeon in private practice in Belgrade, Serbia. Dr Rozental-Fernandes is a Surgical Resident at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr Zaccheddu is a Plastic Surgeon at Dolan Park Hospital in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom. Dr Jovanovic is the Chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
mesh_terms: D061645:Abdominoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065840:Protective Factors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D049291:Seroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013537:Sutures; D016896:Treatment Outcome