Technique for seroma drainage in implant-based breast reconstruction

• Published in: Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery Vol. 65; no. 12; pp. 1614 - 1617
• Main Authors: Moyer, Kurtis E, Potochny, John D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aspiration; Biological and medical sciences; Breast implant; Breast Implants; Breast reconstruction; Breast tissue expander; Drainage; Drainage - instrumentation; Female; Humans; Mammaplasty - adverse effects; Medical sciences; Plastic Surgery; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Seroma; Seroma - etiology; Seroma - surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the genital tract and mammary gland; Tissue Expansion Devices - adverse effects; Drainage; Breast implant; Seroma; Aspiration; Breast tissue expander; Breast reconstruction; Plasty; Treatment; Bypass; Surgery; Breast; Mammary gland; Technique
• ISSN: 1748-6815; 1878-0539
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2012.06.016

Summary Seromas are a common complication associated with breast reconstructive surgery. In expander based breast reconstructions, a seroma can pose a particularly difficult problem related to final tissue envelope shape as well as an increase in the risk of infection and possible tissue necrosis. Unfortunately, the literature describes few non-image related techniques to drain a seroma with a breast implant in place. We present a technique to drain a seroma associated with expander based breast reconstruction in conjunction with expander inflation, minimizing the risk of expander puncture, utilizing the same equipment necessary for expander inflation in the office. The benefit to this technique is that diagnostic and therapeutic imaging is not necessary and the risk of expander damage is minimized.