Suction Drain Versus the Use of Adaptive Skin Sutures After Mastectomy ± Axillary Lymphadenectomy; a Prospective Randomised Study

Optimal Wound Care After Simplex or Modified Radical Mastectomy With or Without Axillary Lymphadenectomy Placement of a Drain Versus the Use of Adaptive Skin Sutures; a Prospective Randomised Study

The objective of this prospective randomized study is to perform qualitative and quantitative comparisons between the insertion of traditional suction drains (Arm: Suction drain) versus the application of absorbable adaptive sutures (Arm: Adaptive suture) following simplex mastectomy or modified radical mastectomy in the light of the total volume of withdrawn serum from wound cavity, the extent of early postoperative analgesic requirements and quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria:

• female patients with primary unilateral, stage 0, I or II, T3N1M0 breast cancer necessitating simple or modified radical mastectomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• age above 75 years and bad general state
• pregnancy
• autoimmune disease
• non-radical excision
• mastitis carcinomatosis
• lymphangitis carcinomatosis
• wound infection necessitating treatment