Effect of quilting sutures on seroma formation post-abdominoplasty

Quilting sutures have been shown to be effective in reducing seroma in latissimus dorsi donor wounds. This technique has been adapted to the closure of abdominoplasty flaps. Seventy-four female patients aged 25 to 76 who underwent abdominoplasty over eight years were reviewed retrospectively. In the first 40 consecutive patients, no quilting sutures were used, in the subsequent 34 patients, abdominal closure was performed with quilting sutures. Primary outcome measures were the incidence of seroma, number of times aspirated and total volume aspirated. Secondary outcome measures were haematoma formation, return to theatre, necrosis, dehiscence, infection and late revision. Six of 34 (17.6%) patients who had quilting sutures placed developed clinically obvious seroma compared to ten of 40 (25%) not quilted. There was no significant difference in the number of times the seroma was aspirated or the volume aspirated between the two groups. Three patients in the ‘quilted’ group developed small postoperative haematomas, managed conservatively. All four patients who developed a haematoma in the 'non-quilted' group returned to theatre for evacuation. There is no statistically significant difference in the incidence of seroma formation after abdominoplasty with or without quilting sutures.