Erythromycin Seromadesis in Orthopedic Surgery

INTRODUCTION: The presence of postoperative seromadesis is common, corresponding to the presence of serum in the subcutaneous tissue post a surgical event. Erythromycin has been reported as sclerosing, although not in orthopedic surgery. We report a case of erythromycin seromadesis in orthopedic surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 63-year-old woman having undergone femoral prosthesis surgery and total hip replacement with a subfacial seroma without findings of infection, refractory to standard treatment of compression bandages, massage and cleaning surgery in two oportunities. A literature review was undertaken to obtain the therapeutic alternatives where erythromycin seromadesis is chosen with excellent response. CONCLUSION: Erythromycin sclerotherapy should be considered as an effective and safe option in the treatment of seroma in general surgery and traumatology. More studies are necessary to get a better evidence. We believe that this is the first study of use of erythromycin as sclerotherapy in a traumatology case.