COMPLICATIONS OF AXILLARY CLEARANCE FOR CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST IN ERBIL CITY

Background: The study aims to investigate complications resulting from axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer surgery and identify the reasons behind these issues. ALND is crucial for detecting nodal metastases and maintaining regional control, but biological variables may cause malignant cells to infiltrate lymph nodes rather than visceral organs. Patients and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional hospital-based study and carried out during September 2020 to August 2021 in Erbil City-Iraq at private and public hospitals. We enrolled 110 patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery at private or public hospitals. The complications of surgery were examined objectively and subjectively and defined as either present or absent. All patients underwent level 1 and 2 or 3 axillary lymph node dissection. Results: The vast majority 96.1% of cases in level I and II had post-operative seroma and 100.0% of case had post-operative seroma in level III. About 52.9% of case had lymphedema in level I and II and about 59.3% of cases had lymphedema in all levels. In level I and II about 88.2% they had numbness or paresthesia in upper medial arm while about 89.8% they had it. Only 6.4% of cases they experienced skin flap necrosis and 1.8% of them faces wound dehiscence. No cases had hemorrhage or muscle paralysis. Conclusions: The study found that axillary lymph node dissection is effective in treating regional node disease, with common complications including seroma, lymph edema, paresthesia, and upper arm numbness.