Hybrid Nanosystem Formed by DOX-Loaded Liposomes and Extracellular Vesicles from MDA-MB-231 Is Effective against Breast Cancer Cells with Different Molecular Profiles.

Drug delivery selectivity is a challenge for cancer treatment. A hybrid pegylated pH-sensitive liposome-extracellular vesicle isolated from human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 was developed to investigate its in vitro activity against breast cancer cells of different molecular profiles to overcome this inconvenience. The hybrid nanosystem was produced by film hydration, and doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated in this system using the ammonium sulfate gradient method. The characterization of this hybrid nanosystem revealed a mean diameter of 140.20 ± 2.70 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.102 ± 0.033, an encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin of 88.9% ± 2.4, and a great storage stability for 90 days at 4 °C. The fusion of extracellular vesicles with liposomes was confirmed by nanoflow cytometry using PE-conjugated human anti-CD63. This hybrid nanosystem demonstrated cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell lines with different molecular subtypes, enhanced anti-migration properties, and exhibited similar cellular uptake to the free DOX treatment. Preliminary acute toxicity assessments using Balb/C female mice indicated a median lethal dose of 15-17.5 mg/kg, with no evidence of splenic, liver, heart, bone marrow, and renal damage at a dose of 15 mg/kg. These findings suggest the hybrid formulation as a versatile nanocarrier for the treatment of various breast cancer subtypes.

Bioactive Glasses Containing Strontium or Magnesium Ions to Enhance the Biological Response in Bone Regeneration.

The non-surgical treatments are being required to reconstruct damaged tissue, prioritizing our body's natural healing process. Thus, the use of bioactive materials such as bioactive glass has been studied to support the repair and restoration of hard and soft tissue. Thus, in this work Bioglass 45S5 was developed, adding 1 and 2%mol of SrO or MgO and the physical and biological properties were evaluated. The addition of MgO and SrO at the studied concentrations promoted the slight increase in non-bridging oxygens number, observed through the temperature shift in phase transitions to lower values compared to Bioglass 45S5. The insertion of the ions also showed a positive effect on Saos-2 cell viability, decreasing the cytotoxic of Bioglass 45S5. Besides the Ca/P ratio on the pellets surface demonstrating no evidence of higher reactivity between Bioglass 45S5 and Bioglass with Sr and Mg, micrographs show that at 24 h the Ca/P rich layer is denser than in Bioglass 45S5 after the contact with simulated body fluid. The samples with Sr and Mg show a higher antibacterial effect compared to Bioglass 45S5. The addition of the studied ions may benefit the biological response of Bioglass 45S5 in dental applications as scaffolds or coatings.

Antibacterial Biomaterial Based on Bioglass Modified with Copper for Implants Coating.

Biofilm-related implant infections pose a substantial threat to patients, leading to inflammation in the surrounding tissue, and often resulting in implant loss and the necessity for additional surgeries. Overcoming this implantology challenge is crucial to ensure the success and durability of implants. This study shows the development of antibacterial materials for implant coatings by incorporating copper into 45S5 Bioglass®. By combining the regenerative properties of Bioglass® with the antimicrobial effects of copper, this material has the potential to prevent infections, enhance osseointegration and improve the long-term success of implants. Bioglasses modified with various concentrations of CuO (from 0 to 8 mol%) were prepared with the melt-quenching technique. Structural analysis using Raman and FTIR spectroscopies did not reveal significant alterations in the bioglasses structure with the addition of Cu. The antibacterial activity of the samples was assessed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and the results demonstrated significant inhibition of bacterial growth for the bioglass with 0.5 mol% of CuO. Cell viability studies indicated that the samples modified with up to 4 mol% of CuO maintained good cytocompatibility with the Saos-2 cell line at extract concentrations up to 25 mg/mL. Furthermore, the bioactivity assessment demonstrated the formation of a calcium phosphate (CaP)-rich layer on the surfaces of all bioglasses within 24 h. Our findings show that the inclusion of copper in the bioglass offers a significant enhancement in its potential as a coating material for implants, resulting in notable advancements in both antibacterial efficacy and osteointegration properties.

Bioactive Glass Modified with Zirconium Incorporation for Dental Implant Applications: Fabrication, Structural, Electrical, and Biological Analysis.

Implantology is crucial for restoring aesthetics and masticatory function in oral rehabilitation. Despite its advantages, certain issues, such as bacterial infection, may still arise that hinder osseointegration and result in implant rejection. This work aims to address these challenges by developing a biomaterial for dental implant coating based on 45S5 Bioglass® modified by zirconium insertion. The structural characterization of the glasses, by XRD, showed that the introduction of zirconium in the Bioglass network at a concentration higher than 2 mol% promotes phase separation, with crystal phase formation. Impedance spectroscopy was used, in the frequency range of 102-106 Hz and the temperature range of 200-400 K, to investigate the electrical properties of these Bioglasses, due to their ability to store electrical charges and therefore enhance the osseointegration capacity. The electrical study showed that the presence of crystal phases, in the glass ceramic with 8 mol% of zirconium, led to a significant increase in conductivity. In terms of biological properties, the Bioglasses exhibited an antibacterial effect against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and did not show cytotoxicity for the Saos-2 cell line at extract concentrations up to 25 mg/mL. Furthermore, the results of the bioactivity test revealed that within 24 h, a CaP-rich layer began to form on the surface of all the samples. According to our results, the incorporation of 2 mol% of ZrO2 into the Bioglass significantly improves its potential as a coating material for dental implants, enhancing both its antibacterial and osteointegration properties.

Genetic Characterization of Ovarian Tumor Tissues from Patients with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in a Philippine Tertiary Hospital: A Descriptive Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study identified genetic variations in ovarian tumor specimens from Filipino epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients using next-generation sequencing. METHODS: Genomic DNA was isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ovarian specimens from 8 chemosensitive and 8 chemoresistant EOC patients. Targeted next-generation sequencing was done to identify mutations in hotspot regions of common oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. The mutations were cross-referenced with dbSNP and ClinVar databases to identify previously reported alterations, and potentially damaging variants were predicted using PolyPhen-2. RESULTS: Our study has identified 85 unique variants, 35 in chemosensitive EOC, 22 in chemoresistant EOC, and 28 in both. Chemosensitive EOC specimens had more exonic single nucleotide variants than chemoresistant EOC specimens. Of the 50 oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, KDR gene had the most frequent variations in EOC patients. Two of the unique KDR variants identified were novel mutations. Thirty-nine unique protein-modifying genetic variants were identified in all specimens, the majority of which have been previously reported in dbSNP and ClinVar. CONCLUSION: This study was the first non-BRCA genetic analysis done on ovarian cancer in Filipino patients. Next-generation sequencing was able to identify previously reported alterations with known therapeutic implications which may benefit from targeted therapy instead of standard chemotherapy regimen.

Extensive Investigation on the Effect of Niobium Insertion on the Physical and Biological Properties of 45S5 Bioactive Glass for Dental Implant.

Dental implants have emerged as one of the most consistent and predictable treatments in the oral surgery field. However, the placement of the implant is sometimes associated with bacterial infection leading to its loss. In this work, we intend to solve this problem through the development of a biomaterial for implant coatings based on 45S5 Bioglass® modified with different amounts of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5). The structural feature of the glasses, assessed by XRD and FTIR, did not change in spite of Nb2O5 incorporation. The Raman spectra reveal the Nb2O5 incorporation related to the appearance of NbO4 and NbO6 structural units. Since the electrical characteristics of these biomaterials influence their osseointegration ability, AC and DC electrical conductivity were studied by impedance spectroscopy, in the frequency range of 102-106 Hz and temperature range of 200-400 K. The cytotoxicity of glasses was evaluated using the osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells line. The in vitro bioactivity studies and the antibacterial tests against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria revealed that the samples loaded with 2 mol% Nb2O5 had the highest bioactivity and greatest antibacterial effect. Overall, the results showed that the modified 45S5 bioactive glasses can be used as an antibacterial coating material for implants, with high bioactivity, being also non-cytotoxic to mammalian cells.

Chitosan scaffolds with mesoporous hydroxyapatite and mesoporous bioactive glass.

Bone regeneration is one of the most well-known fields in tissue regeneration. The major focus concerns polymeric/ceramic composite scaffolds. In this work, several composite scaffolds based on chitosan (CH), with low and high molecular weights, and different concentrations of ceramics like mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG), mesoporous hydroxyapatite (MHAp) and both MBG and MHAp (MC) were produced by lyophilization. The purpose is to identify the best combination regarding optimal morphology and properties. The tests of the scaffolds present a highly porous structure with interconnected pores. The compression modulus increases with ceramic concentration in the scaffolds. Furthermore, the 75%MBG (835 ± 160 kPa) and 50%MC (1070 ± 205 kPa) samples are the ones that mostly enhance increases in mechanical properties. The swelling capacity increases with MBG and MC, respectively, to 700% and 900% and decreases to 400% when MHAp concentration increases. All scaffolds are non-cytotoxic at 12.5 mg/mL. The CHL scaffolds improve cell adhesion and proliferation compared to CHH, and the MC scaffold samples, show better results than those produced with just MBG or MHAp. The composite scaffolds of chitosan with MBG and MHAp, have revealed to be the best combination due to their enhanced performance in bone tissue engineering.

Fabrication, Structural and Biological Characterization of Zinc-Containing Bioactive Glasses and Their Use in Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration.

Polymeric membranes are widely used in guided bone regeneration (GBR), particularly in dentistry. In addition, bioactive glasses can be added to the polymers in order to develop a matrix that is osteoconductive and osteoinductive, increasing cell adhesion and proliferation. The bioactive glasses allow the insertion into its network of therapeutic ions in order to add specific biological properties. The addition of zinc into bioactive glasses can promote antibacterial activity and induce the differentiation and proliferation of the bone cells. In this study, bioactive glasses containing zinc (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mol%) were developed and structurally and biologically characterized. The biological results show that the Zn-containing bioactive glasses do not present significant antibacterial activity, but the addition of zinc at the highest concentration does not compromise the bioactivity and promotes the viability of Saos-2 cells. The cell culture assays in the membranes (PCL, PCL:BG and PCL:BGZn2) showed that zinc addition promotes cell viability and an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production.

Biocompatibility, Bioactivity, and Antibacterial Behaviour of Cerium-Containing Bioglass®.

The main reason for the increased use of dental implants in clinical practice is associated with aesthetic parameters. Implants are also presented as the only technique that conserves and stimulates natural bone. However, there are several problems associated with infections, such as peri-implantitis. This disease reveals a progressive inflammatory action that affects the hard and soft tissues surrounding the implant, leading to implant loss. To prevent the onset of this disease, coating the implant with bioactive glasses has been suggested. In addition to its intrinsic function of promoting bone regeneration, it is also possible to insert therapeutic ions, such as cerium. Cerium has several advantages when the aim is to improve osseointegration and prevent infectious problems with dental implant placement. It promotes increased growth and the differentiation of osteoblasts, improves the mechanical properties of bone, and prevents bacterial adhesion and proliferation that may occur on the implant surface. This antibacterial effect is due to its ability to disrupt the cell wall and membrane of bacteria, thus interfering with vital metabolic functions such as respiration. In addition, its antioxidant effect reverses oxidative stress after implantation in bone. In this work, Bioglass 45S5 with CeO2 with different percentages (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mol%) was developed by the melt-quenching method. The materials were analyzed in terms of morphological, structural, and biological (cytotoxicity, bioactivity, and antibacterial activity) properties. The addition of cerium did not promote structural changes to the bioactive glass, which shows no cytotoxicity for the Saos-2 cell line up to 25 mg/mL of extract concentration for all cerium contents. For the maximum cerium concentration (2 mol%) the bioactive glass shows an evident inhibitory effect for Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans bacteria. Furthermore, all samples showed the beginning of the deposition of a CaP-rich layer on the surface of the material after 24 h.

Cacti as low-cost substrates to produce L-asparaginase by endophytic fungi.

This study aimed to select endophytic fungi to produce L-asparaginase and partially optimising the production of the enzyme using cacti as substrate. Seventeen endophytes were assessed for intracellular enzymatic potential in modified Czapek Dox's medium using L-proline as an inducer. The best producer was evaluated for intracellular and extracellular enzymatic activity in modified Czapek Dox's medium using flours of Opuntia ficus-indica and Nopalea cochenillifera as substrate. The biomass and L-asparaginase production profile was analysed and the best conditions for enzyme production were verified using factorial design. Penicillium decaturense URM 7966, Diaporthe ueckerae URM 8321, and Colletotrichum annellatum URM 8538 produced 0.76 U g- 1, 0.87 U g- 1, and 0.74 U g- 1 L-asparaginase, respectively. Diaporthe ueckerae URM 8321 produced only intracellular L-asparaginase, using flours of N. cochenillifera (0.72 U g- 1) and O. ficus-indica (0.90 U g- 1) and the last was selected for the next steps. The ideal time for biomass and L-asparaginase production was 120 h. The best conditions for enzyme production (1.67 U g- 1) were initial pH 4.0, inoculum concentration 1% and cacti flour concentration 0.2%; where was observed an increase of 46.11% in compared to the initial production. Opuntia ficus-indica flour is indicated as an alternative low-cost substrate for the production of L-asparaginase by the endophytic fungus D. ueckerae URM 8321.

Antifungal susceptibility of the endophytic fungus Rhinocladiella similis (URM 7800) isolated from the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil.

The present study reports a new occurrence of Rhinocladiella similis isolated as an endophytic fungus in the Caatinga dry tropical forest in Brazil and describes its antifungal susceptibility. The isolate R. similis URM 7800 was obtained from leaves of the medicinal plant Myracrodruon urundeuva. Its morphological characterization was performed on potato dextrose agar medium and molecular analysis using the ITS rDNA sequence. The antifungal susceptibility profile was defined using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol M38-A2. The colony of isolate URM 7800 showed slow growth, with an olivaceous-gray color and powdery mycelium; in microculture, it showed the typical features of R. similis. In the antifungal susceptibility test, isolate URM 7800 showed high minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for amphotericin B (>16 µg/mL), voriconazole (16 µg/mL), terbinafine (>0.5 µg/mL), and caspofungin (>8 µg/mL), among other antifungal drugs. Pathogenic melanized fungi are frequently isolated in environments where humans may be exposed, and these data show that it is essential to know if these isolates possess antifungal resistance.

An Intervention Program Based on Regular Home Visits for Improving Maternal Breastfeeding Self-efficacy: A Pilot Study in Portugal.

BACKGROUND: In this pilot study, the breastfeed care plus intervention program was implemented to support women and their families in breastfeeding success. Primary interests were women's self-efficacy in breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding. METHODS: A pilot study was developed in the region of Aveiro-Portugal in two Family Health Units. The experimental and control groups consisted of sixteen women each, initially. Four home visits with assessment and guidance focused on breastfeeding support aimed at women and families were delivered in the experimental group, while the control group received conventional care. Both groups were followed between the 5th and the 120th day postpartum and were subjected to three evaluation moments. RESULTS: On the 120th day postpartum, eleven women completed the BCP intervention program (three women stopped breastfeeding), and nine women received conventional care (seven women stopped breastfeeding). Both interventions proved to be effective in improving the 'perception of breastfeeding self-efficacy,' with higher scores being found in the experimental group (p < 0.001). The proportion of exclusive breastfeeding was also higher in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: The BCP intervention program, during the first 120 days postpartum, showed promissory results in improving 'perception of breastfeeding self-efficacy' compared to conventional care, favoring breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, and cumulative breastfeeding competence of women/families.

Ionogels Based on a Single Ionic Liquid for Electronic Nose Application.

Ionogel are versatile materials, as they present the electrical properties of ionic liquids and also dimensional stability, since they are trapped in a solid matrix, allowing application in electronic devices such as gas sensors and electronic noses. In this work, ionogels were designed to act as a sensitive layer for the detection of volatiles in a custom-made electronic nose. Ionogels composed of gelatin and a single imidazolium ionic liquid were doped with bare and functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles, producing ionogels with adjustable target selectivity. After exposing an array of four ionogels to 12 distinct volatile organic compounds, the collected signals were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and by several supervised classification methods, in order to assess the ability of the electronic nose to distinguish different volatiles, which showed accuracy above 98%.

Effects of Brief Adjunctive Metformin Therapy in Virologically Suppressed HIV-Infected Adults on Polyfunctional HIV-Specific CD8 T Cell Responses to PD-L1 Blockade.

Targeting inhibitory immune checkpoint receptor pathways has shown remarkable success in improving anticancer T cell responses for the elimination of tumors. Such immunotherapeutic strategies are being pursued for HIV remission. Metformin has shown favorable clinical outcomes in enhancing the efficacy of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade and restoring antitumor T cell immunity. Furthermore, monocytes are known to be a strong predictor of progression-free survival in response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. In a single-arm clinical trial, we evaluated the immunological effects over an 8-week course of metformin therapy in seven euglycemic, virally suppressed HIV-infected participants on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We assessed changes in peripheral HIV-Gag-specific T cell responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) with anti-PD-L1 and anti-T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and changes in CD8 T cell and monocyte subsets using flow cytometry. Study participants were all male, 71% (5/7) Caucasian, with a median age of 61 years, CD4 count of 739 cells/µL, and plasma HIV RNA of <50 copies/mL on stable cART for >1 year. Ex vivo polyfunctional HIV-Gag-specific CD8 T cell responses to anti-PD-L1 mAb significantly improved (p < .05) over the 8-week course of metformin therapy. Moreover, frequencies of both intermediate (CD14+CD16+; r = 0.89, p = .01) and nonclassical (CD14lowCD16+; r = 0.92, p = .01) monocytes at entry were predictive of the magnitude of the anti-HIV CD8 T cell responses to PD-L1 blockade. Collectively, these findings highlight that 8-week course of metformin increases the polyfunctionality of CD8 T cells and that baseline monocyte subset frequencies may be a potential determinant of PD-L1 blockade efficacy. These data provide valuable information for HIV remission trials that utilize ICB strategies to enhance anti-HIV CD8 T cell immunity.

Registration pathways to accelerate regulatory assessment of innovative medicines in Latin America.

Countries worldwide have introduced new regulations to accelerate drug regulatory review to afford faster access to medicines, mainly for patients with no or limited therapeutic alternative without compromising the quality, efficacy, and safety of the drug. We mapped and analyzed accelerated regulatory pathways in 19 countries from Latin America (LATAM). Pathways included acceptance of Phase II studies, when justified, and requirement of a Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CPP) for regulatory submission or approval for a drug. We present a regional regulatory overview of innovative pathways to accelerate assessment of medicines by regulators to benefit patients in need. Most LATAM regulators we surveyed have implemented accelerated pathways. Adoption of good regulatory practices is key for success (World Health Organization, WHO, Good Regulatory Practices: guidelines for national regulatory authorities for medical products (World Health Organization, WHO, Good Regulatory Practices: guidelines for national regulatory authorities for medical products. World Health Organization QAS/16.686. WHO, 2016. https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/quality_safety/quality_assurance/GoodRegulatory_PracticesPublicConsult.pdf ).

Enhanced Gas Sensing with Soft Functional Materials.

The materials described in this work result from the self-assembly of liquid crystals and ionic liquids into droplets, stabilized within a biopolymeric matrix. These systems are extremely versatile gels, in terms of composition, and offer potential for fine tuning of both structure and function, as each individual component can be varied. Here, the characterization and application of these gels as sensing thin films in gas sensor devices is presented. The unique supramolecular structure of the gels is explored for molecular recognition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by employing gels with distinct formulations to yield combinatorial optical and electrical responses used in the distinction and identification of VOCs.

Design and Evolution of an Opto-electronic Device for VOCs Detection.

Electronic noses (E-noses) are devices capable of detecting and identifying Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in a simple and fast method. In this work, we present the development process of an opto-electronic device based on sensing films that have unique stimuli-responsive properties, altering their optical and electrical properties, when interacting with VOCs. This interaction results in optical and electrical signals that can be collected, and further processed and analysed. Two versions of the device were designed and assembled. E-nose V1 is an optical device, and E-nose V2 is a hybrid opto-electronic device. Both E-noses architectures include a delivery system, a detection chamber, and a transduction system. After the validation of the E-nose V1 prototype, the E-nose V2 was implemented, resulting in an easy-to-handle, miniaturized and stable device. Results from E-nose V2 indicated optical signals reproducibility, and the possibility of coupling the electrical signals to the optical response for VOCs sensing.

Tunable Gas Sensing Gels by Cooperative Assembly.

The cooperative assembly of biopolymers and small molecules can yield functional materials with precisely tunable properties. Here, the fabrication, characterization, and use of multicomponent hybrid gels as selective gas sensors are reported. The gels are composed of liquid crystal droplets self-assembled in the presence of ionic liquids, which further coassemble with biopolymers to form stable matrices. Each individual component can be varied and acts cooperatively to tune gels' structure and function. The unique molecular environment in hybrid gels is explored for supramolecular recognition of volatile compounds. Gels with distinct compositions are used as optical and electrical gas sensors, yielding a combinatorial response conceptually mimicking olfactory biological systems, and tested to distinguish volatile organic compounds and to quantify ethanol in automotive fuel. The gel response is rapid, reversible, and reproducible. These robust, versatile, modular, pliant electro-optical soft materials possess new possibilities in sensing triggered by chemical and physical stimuli.

Three-year clinical prospective follow-up of extrasinus zygomatic implants for the rehabilitation of the atrophic maxilla.

BACKGROUND: Placement of extrasinus zygomatic implants to support implant-supported rehabilitation is still controversial due to the scarcity of data. PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of 94 extrasinus zygomatic implants, installed laterally to the maxillary sinus, for rehabilitation of the edentulous atrophic maxillae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 patients (mean age 58 years) with severely atrophic maxillae were treated between November 2010 and July 2011, and followed up until July 2014. A total of 273 implants (94 zygomatic implants and 179 conventional implants) were used. The patients were followed in a standardized clinical and radiographic method. RESULTS: During the 3-year study period, 1 zygomatic implant and 4 conventional implants failed, resulting in a survival rate of 98.9% and 97.7% respectively. All restorations with titanium-welded bars were installed either 3 days after surgery (immediate loading) or 6 months after surgery (delayed loading), and were successful until the last follow-up appointment, except for minor technical problems. No patient presented any type of sinus adverse event. No other significant occurrences were reported. CONCLUSION: This 3-year clinical follow-up study indicates that extrasinus zygomatic implants represent predictable treatment option atrophic maxillae. Further longitudinal prospective clinical studies are necessary to confirm these results.

Estudo comportamental sobre a drenagem axilar no câncer de mama / Behavioral study of the axillary drainage in breast câncer

Objetivo: Avaliar os sentimentos e as dificuldades vivenciadas pelos pacientes durante a utilização de drenos de sucção. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, transversal, que avaliou mulheres portadoras de câncer de mama submetidas ao tratamento cirúrgico e que permaneceram com dreno de sucção por três dias, no mínimo. Foi avaliada a dificuldade para a realização de atividades diárias, gerais e específicas, assim como os sentimentos negativos desencadeados pela utilização do dreno, por intermédio da aplicação de questionário previamente estabelecido. Resultados: Foram incluídas no estudo 77 pacientes, com média de idade de 49 (±13) anos. Entre a população analisada, 53 pacientes (68,8%) deixaram de realizar alguma tarefa por estar com o dreno. Entre as limitações, destacam-se as dificuldades para "vestir-se" (79,2%) e para "dormir" (87,0%). Entre os sentimentos referidos, encontrou-se prevalência de "estranheza" (76,6%) e "medo" (72,7%). Conclusão: Em posse dos resultados observados, o cirurgião deverá considerar para a decisão de utilizar drenos após manipulação axilar em cirurgias mamárias, de um lado, o manejo de serosidades e, de outro, as dificuldades diárias e os sentimentos negativos vivenciados pelos pacientes com a utilização desses sistemas de drenagem.

Objective: To evaluate the feelings and the difficulties experienced by the patients during the period when they are using suction drain. Methods: This transversal, descriptive study evaluated women with breast cancer, submitted to surgical treatment and who used the suction drain for at least three days. The difficulties to perform specific and general daily tasks, as well as the negative feelings triggered by the drain were evaluated by means of a questionnaire specifically designed for this study. Results: 77 patients, with the mean age of 49 (±13 years). Among the sample, 53 (68.8%) of the studied patients stopped performing certain tasks because they were using the drain. Regarding limitations, the difficulty to get dressed (79.2%) and to sleep (87.0%) are the highlighted ones. Among the feelings reported there was a prevalence of "strangeness" (76.6%) and "fear" (72.7%). Conclusion: Having these results in mind, when the surgeon considers using the drain after axillary manipulation in breast surgery, they must take into account on one hand the handling of seroma, and on the other hand, the daily difficulties and the negative feelings experienced by the patients during the use of drains.