Bacterial colonization of seromas after breast cancer surgery with and without local steroid prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Seroma formation is a frequent postoperative sequela after mastectomy for primary breast cancer. We investigated the role of bacterial colonization of seroma fluid with three different culture methods and the effect of intracavitary steroids. METHODS: The study group consisted of 212 patients scheduled for mastectomy from a previously performed double-blind randomized placebo-controlled intervention trial. The patients were allocated to a single dose of 80 mg of steroids (methylprednisolone) or saline, and the effect on seroma formation was investigated. From each aspiration, an equal volume of seroma fluid (10 mL) was distributed into one sterile transport tube (conventional method), one aerobic blood culture bottle and one anaerobic blood culture bottle. RESULTS: There was significant variation in the number of bacterial species detected in seroma samples among the three culture methods, ranging from 18 species with the conventional culture tubes to 40 species with aerobic blood culture bottles. Patients receiving prophylactic steroids had significantly more frequent colonization than those in the saline group. Nevertheless, the clinical surgical site infection rate of 7.0% was equal between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In general, data analysis of the entire set of case material did not succeed in demonstrating a relationship between a specific bacterial species or a combination of species and seroma formation. However, in the few patients with growth of a pathogenic species, both the duration of seroma formation and volume of seroma fluid were more pronounced. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Ethics Committee of Copenhagen (H-4-2009-137), (EudraCT number 2009-016650-40), the Danish Data Protection Agency (code J. no. F.750.75-2), and the Danish Health and Medicines Authority (sponsor protocol code number 23837). Start date November 2010.

Routine X-ray of the chest is not justified in staging of patients with primary breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Chest X-rays (CXRs) are performed routinely as part of staging of primary breast cancer patients in most breast units in Denmark. However, several international studies have found exceedingly low detection rates for occult pulmonary metastatic disease among breast cancer patients. Even so, no data have previously been published on Danish patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of all breast cancer patients undergoing CXRs at the Department of Breast Surgery, Herlev Hospital, from April 2016 to December 2017. The primary outcome was detection of pulmonary metastases on CXRs at the time of the patient's breast cancer diagnosis. The follow-up period was 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 1,014 patients were included in this study. Among these, 11 (1%) had a positive CXR and 1,003 (99%) had a negative CXR. Three (0.3%) patients were diagnosed with lung metastases but had false negative CXRs. The sensitivity was 0%, the specificity was 98.9%, the positive predictive value was 0% and the negative predictive value was 99.6%. CONCLUSION: Routine preoperative CXR did not impact staging or lead to changes in the treatment of breast cancer patients. Therefore, routine CXR cannot be justified and should be omitted. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the local hospital legal department (Herlev and Gentofte Hospital) as quality assurance research (workzone number: 19000557).

No effect of steroids on seroma formation after mastectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Seroma formation is a common problem after breast surgery. Studies indicate that seroma formation is a result of the postoperative inflammatory process. Glucocorticoid inhibits the inflammatory response. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a randomized pilot study, we measured the effect of glucocorticoid on drainage volume and seroma formation after breast surgery. A total of 42 patients with operable primary breast cancer scheduled for total mastectomy were randomized to either 125 mg methylprednisolone sodium succinate intravenously as a single bolus before the start of surgery or to a control group. RESULTS: There was no difference between the groups as to the number of patients having drains from day to day. The drainage volume was lower in the methylprednisolone sodium succinate group than in the control group; however, the difference was not significant (7,979 ml versus 9,267 ml). There was a tendency towards a higher seroma formation in the methylprednisolone sodium succinate group, but the tendency was not significant (15,803 versus 13,987 ml), and there was no significant difference in the number of seroma aspirations after surgery (92 versus 99). CONCLUSION: Injection of a bolus of 125 mg of methylprednisolone sodium succinate before mastectomy did not reduce drainage volume or seroma formation. If intravenous glucocorticoid did have an effect, the case material was too small to prove it.

Brief smoking cessation intervention in relation to breast cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Smokers are more prone to develop postoperative complications. Smoking cessation intervention beginning 4-8 weeks prior to surgery improves the postoperative outcome. Cancer patients, however, often undergo surgery less than 4 weeks after diagnosis. The primary objective of this study was therefore to examine if a brief smoking cessation intervention shortly before breast cancer surgery would influence postoperative complications and smoking cessation. METHODS: A randomized controlled multicentre trial with blinded outcome assessment conducted at 3 hospitals in Denmark. One hundred and thirty patients were randomly assigned to brief smoking intervention (n = 65) or standard care (n = 65). The intervention followed the principles of motivational interviewing and included personalized nicotine replacement therapy aimed at supporting smoking cessation from 2 days before to 10 days after surgery. RESULTS: The overall postoperative complication rate (including seroma requiring aspiration) was 61% in both groups risk ratio (RR) 1.00 (95% CI 0.75-1.33). The wound complication rate was 44% versus 45%. The effect on perioperative smoking cessation was modest, 28% intervention versus 11% control group patients, RR 2.49 (95% CI 1.10-5.60). There was no effect on smoking cessation at 12 months, 13% versus 9%. CONCLUSIONS: Brief smoking intervention administered shortly before breast cancer surgery modestly increased self-reported perioperative smoking cessation without having any clinical impact on postoperative complications. The study adds to the body of evidence indicating that brief intervention has no clinical importance for surgical patients in regard to postoperative morbidity. Future studies should be designed to determine the optimal time of smoking cessation before surgery.

Diagnostic challenges in clinical, radiological and histopathological tests regarding papillomatous lesions of the breast.

Papillomas of the female breast is a relatively frequent lesion, and the majority are benign when excised. However, some may host malignant or premalignant areas. Consequently, it is a worldwide accepted principle to excise the lesion whenever diagnosed. However, this leads to a large number of patients having an unnecessary operation. The present study was designed to investigate whether we could find clinical, radiological and pathological factors in the preoperative, diagnostic setting that could identify patients hosting a benign papilloma in order to avoid operation. The patient material consisted of 260 patients, all with a preoperative diagnosis of a papillomatous process in core biopsy. The lesion was excised, and 71% had a benign lesion. The rest had lesions ranging from premalignant to malignant. In the clinical, radiological and histopathological investigations conducted, we were not able to identify factors that statistically significant could predict whether the lesion was benign or malignant. However, our data showed a higher prevalence of malignant and premalignant lesions for older patient, larger lesions, and lesions found at a longer distance from the papilla. We conclude that, since almost 30% of the patients in our study ended up with a premalignant or malignant diagnosis, where no statistically significant preoperative factors could indicate a benign outcome, operation is warranted in all patients with a preoperative diagnosis of a papillomatous lesion.

Mastectomy using ultrasonic dissection: effect on seroma formation.

Seroma formation is the most common complication after mastectomy. Among the several known etiological factors the surgical procedure used may be of importance for seroma formation. This prospective study was carried out to evaluate the ultrasonic energy dissection technique and its effect on seroma formation and other complications: 59 patients with operable breast cancer underwent modified radical mastectomy, performed in 30 of them with an Ultracision Harmonic scalpel and in 29 with scissors and electrocautery. In all cases a standard level II axillary dissection was performed with scissors. We found no differences in the outcome of surgery. Peroperative bleeding (median 300 ml, range 100-790 vs 300 ml, range 40-1400), drain volume (585 ml, range 130-1455) vs 645 ml, range 95-1570), seroma formation 50 (0-580) ml vs 105 (0-3775) ml and wound complications were about the same in both groups. In conclusion, neither clinical advantages or disadvantages of the ultrasound dissection technique were found.

Local injection of methylprednisolonacetat to prevent seroma formation after mastectomy.

INTRODUCTION: This study served the following three purposes: To evaluate the prophylactic effect against seroma of a single dose of steroid in the mastectomy cavity, to evaluate the thesis that there is a connection between subclinical bacterial colonization and seroma formation and to evaluate if a simple urine stix test can detect postmastectomy infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a double-blinded and randomized study of injection of methylprednisolonacetate versus saline in the mastectomy cavity at the time of drain removal. A total of 160 females were enrolled after mastectomy. The study parameters were as follows: seroma volume, number of seroma punctures, frequency of clinical infections, degree and type of subclinical colonization, complications and evaluation of the microbiological results of the stix test with automatically read glucose, ketones, blood, pH, protein, nitrite and leucocytes. The degree of inflammation was monitored by measurement of 15 cytokines in each sample of seroma fluid. The study was initiated in August 2010 and is expected to run for three years. DISCUSSION: Some reports have concluded that seroma formation forms part of postsurgical inflammation. Steroids are effective against inflammation and accumulation of fluid at the surgical site after several types of surgery and have also proved valuable in the treatment of seroma formation. In the present study, the prophylactic effect of steroids on seroma formation is investigated. CONCLUSION: As the incidence of postmastectomy seroma formation is 80%, there is a need for improvement in the prophylaxis and treatment of this condition. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Medicines Agency The EudraCT number 2009-016650-40 has been issued for your Sponsor's Protocol Code Number 23837. Data protection agency J.no. F.750.75-2. The study is perfomed in collaboration with the GCP Unit, capital Region, Bispebjerg Hospital under the EudraCT number: 2009-016650-40.

Effects of intravenous fluid restriction on postoperative complications: comparison of two perioperative fluid regimens: a randomized assessor-blinded multicenter trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a restricted intravenous fluid regimen versus a standard regimen on complications after colorectal resection. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Current fluid administration in major surgery causes a weight increase of 3-6 kg. Complications after colorectal surgery are reported in up to 68% of patients. Associations between postoperative weight gain and poor survival as well as fluid overload and complications have been shown. METHODS: We did a randomized observer-blinded multicenter trial. After informed consent was obtained, 172 patients were allocated to either a restricted or a standard intraoperative and postoperative intravenous fluid regimen. The restricted regimen aimed at maintaining preoperative body weight; the standard regimen resembled everyday practice. The primary outcome measures were complications; the secondary measures were death and adverse effects. RESULTS: The restricted intravenous fluid regimen significantly reduced postoperative complications both by intention-to-treat (33% versus 51%, P = 0.013) and per-protocol (30% versus 56%, P = 0.003) analyses. The numbers of both cardiopulmonary (7% versus 24%, P = 0.007) and tissue-healing complications (16% versus 31%, P = 0.04) were significantly reduced. No patients died in the restricted group compared with 4 deaths in the standard group (0% versus 4.7%, P = 0.12). No harmful adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: The restricted perioperative intravenous fluid regimen aiming at unchanged body weight reduces complications after elective colorectal resection.