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Updated: May 29, 2026
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Endoscopic Bilateral Nipple-sparing Mastectomy via a Single Axillary Incision with Immediate Pre-pectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction
Published on: May 17, 2024
Factors affecting surgical wait times for breast reconstruction
Kirsty U Boyd1, Claire Lf Temple, Douglas C Ross
1Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Western Ontario;
Summary
Women with active cancer seeking breast reconstruction experience shorter wait times than those with benign or previously treated conditions. Immediate reconstruction also significantly reduces wait times compared to delayed procedures.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Plastic Surgery
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Breast reconstruction is a critical component of oncoplastic surgery.
- Wait times for breast reconstruction can impact patient outcomes and satisfaction.
- Understanding factors influencing these wait times is essential for optimizing care delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing wait times for breast reconstruction in Canada.
- To analyze differences in wait times based on pathology, reconstruction timing, and surgical approach.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective audit of 57 women undergoing breast reconstruction over three years.
- Analysis of wait times from referral to consultation, consultation to surgery, and referral to surgery.
- Comparison of wait times based on pathology (active cancer, benign/high-risk, previously treated), timing (immediate vs. delayed), reconstruction method (implant vs. autologous), and surgical team composition.
Main Results:
- Active cancer cases (40-43 days) had significantly shorter wait times than benign/high-risk (242 days) or previously treated cancer (343 days).
- Immediate reconstruction (98 days) had substantially shorter wait times than delayed reconstruction (359 days).
- Involvement of general surgeons alongside plastic surgeons reduced wait times compared to plastic surgery alone.
Conclusions:
- Active cancer diagnosis and immediate reconstruction are associated with shorter wait times for breast reconstruction.
- Multidisciplinary surgical teams may expedite the process for certain patient groups.
- Optimizing scheduling and resource allocation based on these factors can improve patient access to breast reconstruction.
