Incidence of Clinically Significant Seroma after Breast and Axillary Surgery

Seroma is a collection of serous fluid that occurs at rates ranging from 3% to 85% after breast or axillary surgery.(1,2) Varying methods of defining seroma likely account for the wide variation in rates of incidence reported in the literature. Seromas can interfere with healing, require prolonged treatment, cause patient discomfort, and delay adjuvant treatment. 3 We hypothesized that seromas occur more frequently in extensive surgical procedures or in those that require a drainage tube. In addition, we theorized that seroma and surgical site infection (SSI) were directly correlated. The alms of this Study were to evaluate the frequency of seromas that require intervention, to assess variation based on the extent of the breast or axillary surgical procedure, and to evaluate the incidence of SSI in relation to seroma occurrence.