[Our experience of infectious risk in prosthetic breast surgery]

This retrospective clinical study was made to help determine the signs of infectious or healing problems in candidates for prosthetic breast surgery. It concerns 80 patients with 108 breast implants (44 breast reconstructions, 21 cases of hypoplasia, 8 breast asymmetric, 20 secondary procedures, 15 of them being changes of expansion implants by definitive implants). Thirty one infectious complications (28.7%) were noted. In 22 cases it consisted of a resolutive hyperthermia. Nine cases of local complications were noted, with four implant exposures (3%). Bacteriological samples were analyzed and were positive in four out of nine (Staphylococcus aureus). In 8 out of the 9 cases the initial procedure consisted in a breast reconstruction. All 8 patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy after the initial mastectomy (Patey). The implant type (implantable, pre-filled, expansion prosthesis), its location (retromuscular), the type of surgery (asymmetrical breast musculocutaneous or fasciocutaneous flap) don't seem to be responsible in the genesis of the complications. This retrospective study could not help determine which protocol of antistaphylococcal antibiotherapy suits lest. Infectious problems arose with or without antibiotics.