The effect of ankaferd hemostatic agent on the formation of postoperative seroma in rat radical mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection model

Breast carsinoma is the most common seen tumour in women and the treatment modality is mostly modified radical mastectomy. The most common seen complication after modified radical mastectomy is the formation of seroma. An important reason of seroma formation is ineffective hemostasis. Ankaferd BloodStopper is a new, medicinal extract with hemostatic activity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the activity of Ankaferd BloodStopper on seroma formation in rats undergoing mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection.Twenty-four female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were included in the study. After left radical mastectomy and axillary dissection, rats were divided randomly into 3 groups each of 8 rats. First group served as control group and surgical area was irrigated with 1.5 cc serum physiologic after surgery. In the second group, 1.5 cc Ankaferd hemostatic agent was applied to the surgical area and in the third group, 3 cc Ankaferd hemostatic agent was applied to the surgical area. After the application, bleeding time was recorded. At the postoperative 7. day, seroma at the surgery side were aspirated using insulin syringe. The surgical incisions were then reopened and remaining seroma was aspirated and the amount of seroma obtained was recorded in mililiters. The wound was examined in terms of wound infection and wound closure. Results were evaluated statistically.Mean bleeding time was measured to be 24.9±8.2 seconds in control group, 2.4±1.3 seconds in the group recieving 1.5 cc Ankaferd and 2.5±0.9 seconds in the group recieving 3.0 cc Ankaferd (p<0.001). At the postoperative 7. day, mean seroma volume aspirated was 1.05±0.4 cc in the control group, 0.6±0.6 cc in the group recieving 1.5 cc Ankaferd and 1.2±0.7 cc in the group recieving 3.0 cc Ankaferd (p=0.226). No effect of Ankaferd could be found on wound infection and wound healing.As a result, Ankaferd BloodStopper has a hemostatic activity in rat mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection model but it thus not prevent seroma formation and it has no activity on wound healing and rate of wound infection.