AU - Garzali, Ibrahim AU - El-Yakub, Amina AU - Sheshe, Abdulrahman TI - Effect of flap-fixation on seroma formation after mastectomy among African patients: A single centre randomized study PT - ORIG DP - 2019 Jul 1 TA - Archives of International Surgery PG - 73-77 VI - 9 IP - 3 4099- https://www.archintsurg.org/article.asp?issn=2278-9596;year=2019;volume=9;issue=3;spage=73;epage=77;aulast=Garzali;type=0 4100- https://www.archintsurg.org/article.asp?issn=2278-9596;year=2019;volume=9;issue=3;spage=73;epage=77;aulast=Garzali AB - Background: Breast cancer is the most common in female malignancy world-wide with about 1 million new cases per year. Surgeons play a major role in the management of breast cancer with mastectomy constituting the most common and important surgical intervention needed for these patients especially in our setting. Seroma constitute most common complication of mastectomy with some surgeons now considering it a side effect of the surgery rather than a complication. The objective of this study was to determine the role of flap-fixation on seroma formation after mastectomy in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Patients and Methods: This was a single Centre prospective study carried out from August 2017 to September 2018 with the studied population being women with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy. Recruitment was at the surgical outpatient clinic. The patients were randomized into two groups with group A having flap fixation after mastectomy and group B having conventional closure with no flap fixation. Seroma formation was then compared within the two groups. Results: A total of 60 patients were involved in the study with 30 patients per group. The mean age of patients is 44.2 ± 6.1 for group A and 46.3 ± 7.4 in group B. Majority of the patients had modified radical mastectomy with prolongation of the surgery by up to 20 min in group A. The duration of drainage, amount of fluid drained and incidence of seroma was higher in group B. Conclusion: Flap fixation to pectoralis major significantly reduces seroma formation after mastectomy for breast cancer.