Evaluation of factors in seroma formation and comp

Authors: Ladina Greuter Holger Jan Klein Farid Rezaeian Pietro Giovanoli Nicole Lindenblatt

Publish Date: 2016/09/09

Volume: 40, Issue: 1, Pages: 39-46

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Abstract

Sentinel lymph node dissection SLND and radical lymph node dissection RLND represent standard surgical procedures in skin cancer patients Complications may arise with seroma formation being the most prevalent Although both conservative and surgical approaches have been undertaken in effort to reduce the occurrence of postoperative seroma none have been able to show a beneficial effect Therefore the aim of our study was to examine the rate of complications in RLNDs and SLNDs in respect to the influence of different preventative techniques on potential seroma formationWe performed an evaluation of all SLNDs and RLNDs within a 2year period at our hospital The primary focus was seroma formation with secondary points being infection wound healing problems WHP and lymphedema as well as the total length of hospital stay and revision surgeryThree hundred eightynine patients were recorded of which 268 patients 69  underwent an SLND while 121 patients 31  underwent an RLND Seroma in RLNDs occurred significantly more frequently with 463  compared to SLNDs with only 116  Pressure and vacuum dressings were associated with a considerably higher chance of seroma formation namely 35 and 21 times more than with a normal dressing Other methods such as ligation clipping fibrin glue or a sartorius flap showed no effectsRLNDs are associated with a higher rate of seroma regardless of surgical or postoperative approach whereas SLNDs only induce a few side effects Further infections wound healing problems and lymphedema were significantly associated with seroma formationThis study involving retrospective data evaluation has been approved by the regional ethics commission All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards

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