FRIDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Subdermal excision of apocrine glands is a highly effective treatment for axillary osmidrosis -- excessive malodor in the axillary area, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery.
J.G. Qian and X.J. Wang of the Zhejiang Provincial Tongde Hospital in Hangzhou, China, report on 31 cases of axillary osmidrosis treated in this way between March 2003 and November 2004. Nine of the cases were combined with axillary hyperhidrosis.
The aprocrine glands were excised via a small transverse incision and the cases were followed up for three months. Malodor was successfully eliminated in 30 cases while one case reported fair results. There were some perioperative complications but these were minor, including a small hematoma in one axilla, small seroma in two axillae and superficial epidermal necrosis in 21 axillae, which spontaneously healed within seven days. In all, 29 (93.5 percent) patients reported that they were very satisfied while the remaining two reported that they were satisfied.
The authors described the dressing methods used. "In our experience, definite light compression bandages and arm restriction in the first two to three postoperative days was the key to prevent hematoma or seroma formation," they write. "The procedure has the advantages of a high success rate with minor complications."
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