The composition of serous fluid after axillary dissection

Objective: To analyse the composition of the serous fluid formed after axil lary dissection Design: Descriptive study Setting: University hospital and teaching hospital, The Netherlands Subjects: 16 patients whose axillas were dissected as part of a modified ra dical mastectomy for stage I or II breast cancer Main outcome measures: Chemical and cellular composition of axillary draina ge fluid on the first, fifth, and tenth postoperative days compared with th e same constituents in blood and with reported data on the composition of p eripheral lymph. Results and conclusion: On the first postoperative day the drainage fluid c ontained blood contents and a high concentration of creatine phosphokinase (CPK). After day one it changed to a peripheral lymph-like fluid but contai ning different cells, more protein, and no fibrinogen, making coagulation i mpossible. The reduction in the fluid production must be caused by other wo und healing processes, such as formation of scars and connective tissue.