A. Matarasso et al., REEVALUATING THE NEED FOR ROUTINE DRAINAGE IN REDUCTION MAMMAPLASTY, Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 102(6), 1998, pp. 1917-1921
The incidence of complications after reduction mammaplasty without dra
ins was reviewed by analysis of 50 bilateral reduction mammaplasty pro
cedures. Patients ranged in age from 14 to 65 years; the average combi
ned volume removed was 953 g. Eighty-four percent of the patients unde
rwent a Pitanguy technique, and the remaining patients underwent an in
ferior pedicle or amputative technique with free nipple grafts. Three
patients had six complications; one of these patients had three of the
complications. Complications included two cases of fat necrosis and o
ne case of wound disruption, One patient had a hematoma with wound dis
ruption and partial nipple loss. There were no cases of infection. The
purpose of this study was to determine the rate of complications in r
eduction mammaplasty performed without drains. Incidentally, statistic
al analysis using the chi-squared rest revealed that this series witho
ut drains compared favorably with previously published data for reduct
ion mammaplasty using drains. It is concluded that routine closed suct
ion drainage after reduction mammaplasty is unnecessary and should be
reconsidered.