Wound infections after mastectomy or lumpectomy for breast cancer

To gain better insight into postoperative wound complications in breast cancer surgery, we reviewed the charts of all patients who were treated by means of a modified radical mastectomy or a lumpectomy with axillary lymph node dissection and radiation treatment between 1980 and 1987. Our study included 98 breast conserving therapies and 380 modified radical mastectomies. In 11% of cases a postoperative wound infection occurred: 14% in breast conserving therapies and 11% in modified radical mastectomies. An abscess occurred in 6% of cases: 5% in breast conserving therapies and 6% in modified radical mastectomies. When a wound infection occurred, average hospitalization was prolonged by 10 days. The risk of wound infections increased with age and was positively correlated with the production of seroma: it was higher in cases of transfusions and, after adjustment for these factors, also higher in cases of breast conserving therapy.