Increasing Implant Size During Implant Exchange Surgery Decreases the Risk for Post-Operative Seroma: Our Experience...

Augmentation mammaplasty is the second most common aesthetic procedure in the USA, with over 300,000 surgeries performed in 2023. Although the procedure is typically regarded as safe and effective, revision surgeries, frequently prompted by aesthetic considerations or complications, present distinctive risks, including seroma formation. There is a paucity of data concerning the factors that influence the development of seromas in implant exchange surgeries.

Examine the relationship between implant size alterations and likelihood of seroma development in secondary breast augmentation.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with a total of 689 patients who underwent implant exchange. Demographic, surgical, and post-operative information was collected. To ascertain the risk factors for seroma development, univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed.

Patients who developed post-operative seromas were younger (p < 0.001), non-smokers (p = 0.015), and opted for a decrease in implant size (p = 0.007). Utilization of suction drains and prolonged antibiotic treatment were also associated with seroma development. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that an increase in implant size (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99) and older age (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.83-0.99) were protective factors against the formation of seromas.

Findings of this study indicate a correlation between implant size reduction and an elevated risk of seroma formation in implant exchange surgeries.

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