INNOVATION in breast cancer surgery in Dunfermline is enabling patients to go home the same day.

A new surgical technique is helping women undergoing a mastectomy, which normally results in an overnight stay, to be safely discharged a matter of hours after the procedure.

The pioneering work is a Scottish first and is taking place at Queen Margaret Hospital.

It involves a form of glue being applied on the inside of the breast to seal the tissue, so patients can go home the same day without the need for a drain.

Consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon, Christopher Cartlidge, has led the development of this new approach and said: “Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be devastating and we want to do all we can to make sure any subsequent treatment is as person-centred and straightforward as possible.

“The use of fibrin tissue sealant during mastectomy procedures is a really important development – it means that we can quickly limit bleeding within the breast and means patients no longer require a drain in the days following the procedure.

"Not only is this much more comfortable, it also reduces the risk of infection and other complications.

“The feedback from patients has been excellent – people have really appreciated being able to go home within a matter of hours to start their recovery safely in familiar surroundings with their loved ones around them."

The surgical team at QMH has become the first in Scotland to use fibrin tissue sealant in mastectomies and axillary node clearances.

By using this sealant, the amount of fluid produced is reduced both during and after surgery, and enables patients to be safely discharged home the same day without the need for a drain.

NHS Fife medical director, Dr Christopher McKenna, added: “While Covid-19 has resulted in significant challenges for all healthcare services, urgent cancer procedures in Fife continued throughout the pandemic.

“The majority of patients requiring a mastectomy want to be able to return home as quickly as possible, and this new procedure enables patients to do so safely whilst reducing the risk of complications at the same time.

"Importantly though, those who feel more reassured by remaining in hospital overnight will still have to option to do so.

“We always strive to put patients at the centre of everything we do, and developments such as this allow us to do exactly that.”

Removing the need for a fluid drain provides a range of benefits for patients, improving comfort post-surgery whilst reducing the risk of the complications such as surgical site infections, seroma (fluid build-up under the skin) and haematoma (severe bruising).

The technique also enables patients to be safely discharged earlier to recover at home and results in fewer trips to hospital as there is no drain to be removed.

Patients who prefer to remain in hospital overnight following the procedure continue to have the option to do so if they wish.