Determinants of Wound Infections After Surgery for Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background: There are evident risks factors stemming from any the local post-surgical infection, which merits analysis of morbidity derived from conservative and radical surgery after treatment of the operable breast cancer.

Study Design: 107 patients with breast cancer recruited between November 1995 and October 1997 were evaluated. From that total, 36 patients were subjected to quadrantectomy, axillary lymphadenectomy and postoperative radiation while 71 patients were subjected to modified radical mastectomy.

Results: 7 % percent of patients who underwent modified radical surgery succumbed to postoperative local infection vs. 17 % of patients subjected to breast conserving therapies. Local infections were associated with the older patients (63 vs. 54 years old, p=0.03) and greater obesity (p=0.04). Upon logistic regression analysis conservative surgery exhibited adjusted Odds Ratio of 6.42 (1.27-32.28), p =0.02. In postoperative infection group average hospital stay increased by 6 days (p= 0.0001).

Conclusion: In the present study main risk factors associated with postsurgical wound infection after breast cancer treatment proved to be advanced age, greater obesity and conservative surgery. Nonetheless, more studies are necessary to confirm current findings.

Key words

Wound infection - breast surgery - breast cancer - obesity, and risks factors of infection

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