Immediate breast reconstruction at the time of mastectomy for breast cancer

Immediate breast reconstruction avoids or lessens the psychosocial trauma associated with a disfiguring mastectomy. The complications seen in this small patient sample are not in excess of those seen in patients undergoing delayed reconstruction. Fifteen immediate breast reconstructions were performed at the time of mastectomy for cancer. Flap or implant reconstruction alone was determined on an individual basis. No delays in the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy or hormone therapy were caused by the reconstructions. There were no instances of total flap loss or wound infection. One implant was lost due to exposure. Other complications were similar to those associated with modified radical mastectomy alone. These preliminary results suggest that immediate breast reconstruction at the time of mastectomy may be offered with safety to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.