Table 3.

Surgical technique characteristics of quilting sutures versus conventional closure after modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection, including quilting extent (axillary quilting) and postoperative drain protocol (number and placement) by study arm

Study (year)	Quilting technique	Axillary quilting	Drains (Q)	Drains (C)	Drain removal criterion	Specimen weight	Skin-flap thickness
Arafa et al., 2019 [1]	Multiple rows of absorbable 2 − 0 Vicryl quilting sutures between mastectomy flaps and pectoralis major	NR	NR (closed-suction drains used; number/placement not reported)	NR (closed-suction drains used; number/placement not reported)	NR	NR	NR
Awad et al., 2019 [2]	Interrupted 3 − 0 polyglactin quilting sutures between mastectomy flaps and chest wall	No	2 (subcutaneous under flaps + axillary)	2 (subcutaneous under flaps + axillary)	NR	NR	NR
Khater et al., 2015 [3]	Continuous running 2 − 0 polyglactin sutures fixing mastectomy and axillary flaps to chest wall, obliterating axillary dead space	Yes	1 (closed-suction)	1 (closed-suction)	Removed when 24-hour effluent < 50 mL	NR	NR
Myint et al., 2020 [4]	Interrupted 3 − 0 polyglactin quilting sutures between mastectomy skin flaps and pectoral fascia	No	1 (single axillary drain)	2 (axillary + subcutaneous)	NR	NR	NR
Özaslan et al., 2010 [6]	Interrupted 3 − 0 PDS quilting sutures securing skin flaps to pectoral fascia	NR	2 (closed-suction)	2 (closed-suction)	NR	NR	NR
Prakash (Meena) et al., 2024 [12]	Multiple rows of interrupted absorbable sutures (Vicryl) quilting mastectomy flaps to pectoral fascia	No	2 (axillary + pectoral)	2 (axillary + pectoral)	NR	NR	NR
Jayalal et al., 2025 [10]	Interrupted quilting sutures (2 − 0 Vicryl) between mastectomy skin flaps and chest wall	No	1 (single axillary drain)	2 (axillary + pectoral)	Removed once drainage < 25 mL/day or at discharge	NR	NR

Abbreviations: C conventional closure, Q quilting sutures, NR not reported, PDS polydioxanone suture