Long-Term Outcomes Stable After Breast Reconstruction

THURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Prosthetic breast reconstruction outcomes do not deteriorate over time, according to a study published online in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Akhil K. Seth, M.D., from the NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois, and Peter G. Cordeiro, M.D., from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, examined long-term surgeon- and patient-reported outcomes following two-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction among 2,284 patients (3,489 breasts) treated from 1994 to 2016.

The researchers found that aesthetic scores and capsular contracture rates remained stable during the entire follow-up period. Bilateral and nonirradiated reconstructions consistently had the highest aesthetic scores, while unilateral irradiated breasts had the lowest. High rates of capsular contracture were seen consistently with irradiated breasts, although the extent of contracture improved over time in all patients. Over time, there was stability or improvement in patient-reported BREAST-Q scores in all patients. There was comparable long-term satisfaction with outcomes between irradiated and nonirradiated patients despite significant differences in satisfaction with their breasts.

“These results contradict the surgical dogma surrounding prosthetic breast reconstruction and therefore should be given significant consideration when counseling patients,” the authors write.

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