[Seroma after axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer]

Abstract

Since the advent of sentinel node biopsy, which made it possible to reduce the morbidity of axillary surgery, axillary lymph node dissection has been constituting the treatment of reference in certain cases of breast cancer. One of the most frequent complications in the immediate postoperative period is the lymphocele or seroma, the frequency of which is independent of the axillary technique of surgery. Following an analysis of the literature, some risk factors were isolated such as a high body mass index, the high volume of the first three days drainage and arterial hypertension. Some techniques seem to show a benefit in the reduction of the lymphocele: sentinel node biopsy, padding of the axilla and the axillary drainage. The majority of other techniques such as the use of fibrin sealant, hemolymphostatic sponges, various techniques of axillary dissection, external axillary compression, differed mobilization from the upper limb, axillary dissection by lipo-aspiration and endoscopic axillary dissection, have too contradictory results at the present time to be recommended in clinical practice. No consensus is clearly established to decrease the incidence and the volume of the seroma after axillary dissection in breast cancer. Today, two techniques can be nevertheless distinguished: sentinel node biopsy and padding of the axilla.