Results
In all, 158 breast cancer patients were recruited into the
study and 55 patients developed seroma, giving an overall
incidence of 35% for seroma formation after breast surgery. The mean age of patients was 46.3 years (SD ± 11.9).
One hundred and fifteen patients (73%) underwent MRM
and BP was performed in 43 patients (27%). The axillary
node involvement was significantly different between
MRM and BP patients (χ2 = 4.52, df = 1, P = 0.03) indicating
that those who underwent MRM had higher rate of
positive axillary nodes compared to those who received
BP (78% vs. 21% respectively). Thirty-one mastectomies
were performed by scalpel dissection of the skin flap
(20%) and 127 by cautery dissection (80%). Two closed
suction drains were placed in all patients undergoing surgery.
Sixty-six percent of patients (n = 104) were node positive
and the remaining 34% (n = 54) were node negative.
The patients' characteristics and univariate odds ratios are
shown in Table 1.
The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis
indicated that only the surgical type was significantly associated
with seroma formation (OR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.01–
7.90, P = 0.04). Of patients with BP, 10 of 43 (23%) developed
seroma, while those who underwent MRM 45 of 115
(39%) developed seroma. The seroma formation did not
show any significant association with any other variables
studied. The results of maultivariate analysis are shown in
Table 2.