Drain Use and Complications after Breast Reduction in a 5-Academic Institution Cohort

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Over 70,000 reduction mammaplasties were performed in 2022.
• Previous studies suggested equivalent complication rates with or without drains, but lacked power for individual outcomes.
• This study investigated drain use and complications in breast reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if intraoperative drain placement reduces complications after breast reduction surgery.
• To evaluate the association between drain use and post-operative outcomes in a large cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective multi-institutional cohort study of 2488 breast reduction patients.
• Compared demographic and peri-operative data between patients with and without drains.
• Evaluated the impact of drain placement on post-operative outcomes.

Main Results:

• Drains were used in 46.7% of patients; more likely in those with higher BMI, larger breasts, and comorbidities.
• No significant difference in overall complication rates (30.7% vs 27.1%) between groups.
• Specific complications like wound dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, infection, and revision rates were similar. Elevated BMI was linked to higher overall complications and specific issues.

Conclusions:

• Drain placement is not associated with improved outcomes in breast reduction surgery.
• Surgeons tend to use drains in more complex cases, but outcomes remain similar.
• Findings suggest drains may not be necessary for all breast reduction patients.