Preliminary Study of PGA Fabric for Seromas at Latissimus Dorsi Flap Donor Sites.

Background: Seroma formation is a major complication following latissimus dorsi (LD) flap transfer for breast reconstruction. We implanted a nonwoven polyglycolic acid (PGA) fabric-a biodegradable polymer-in the LD flap donor site and examined its effect on postoperative seroma formation and resolution in a comparative study on 38 patients undergoing primary 1-stage breast reconstruction by LD flap.

Method: A PGA treatment group had a PGA fabric placed in the donor wound (PGA group, n = 20), whereas a second group was treated with standard donor site closure (control group, n = 18). The incidence of seromas was comparable between the groups.

Result: There was a significant reduction in aspiration volume by needle aspiration after drain removal ( < 0.05) and in the time until seroma resolution ( < 0.01) in the PGA group compared with the control group.

Conclusion: These results indicate that application of PGA at the LD donor site is useful in controlling postoperative seromas.