An expert's guide to Prevena BellaForm dressing and the future of seroma draining

Earlier this month, renowned consultant breast surgeon Mr Andrew Pieri was invited to speak at the prestigious London Breast Meeting. Some of the brightest and best breast specialists across the globe came to London for this event, where Mr Pieri presented his new research findings on the Prevena BellaForm dressing made by 3M.

According to the new findings, these dressings help reduce problems with seroma, a postoperative complication in patients undergoing mastectomy surgery. In his latest article, Mr Pieri explains everything you need to know about post-operative seroma, including how it is managed, and the newest treatments available.

What is a post-mastectomy seroma?

The body’s natural response to tissue trauma is the oozing of a pale-yellow fluid called serous fluid. This fluid can then get trapped underneath the skin leading to a seroma. This is particularly troublesome after mastectomy or breast reconstruction surgery.

Seroma can be very painful, as it puts pressure on the tissue. It can also stop or decrease blood flow to the skin, which can lead to necrosis. It can also prevent the wound from healing properly.
 

Following a mastectomy surgery, how is seroma managed?

In some cases, it is better to leave the seroma alone, as it can be reabsorbed by the body in the following weeks. However, if the patient is suffering from discomfort or tension in the tissue, the serous fluid is removed with a syringe.

What are the traditional drains used?

The traditional method of draining seroma involved inserting a drainage tube into the skin and then attaching a bottle. This practice is still done today across much of the UK and internationally. The drain usually remains in place for up to five days after the surgery, when the oozing of the serous fluid begins to slow.

What disadvantages come with using traditional drains?

One of the main reasons we are moving away from the use of traditional drains is that they can contribute to a lot of the post-operative pain that patients experience. Some patients are not able to return home on the day of their surgery due to this pain, and need to stay in hospital. The drains can also possibly be a conduit for bacteria, leading to infections.

What is Prevena BellaForm dressing?

Prevena BellaForm is a new type of vacuum dressing. It can be placed over the entire breast, or chest wall if there was no breast reconstruction as part of the surgery. The new research was carried out to discover if this new type of dressing can reduce the size of seroma in patients undergoing mastectomy.

Results from the study showed that the volume of serous fluid in patients with the new type of dressing was less than half of the volume in patients with more traditional dressings. Patients with the new dressing also required fewer aspirations of fluid following their mastectomy.

Do Prevena BellaForm dressings have any other benefits?

In addition to the reduction in seroma volume, Prevena dressings have been shown to have several different benefits. These include reducing wound complications, reducing the chance of infection and improving the appearance of scars.

If you are concerned about seroma or any other breast-related issue, you can book an appointment with Mr Pieri today via his Top Doctors profile.