Revisiting an Old Place: Single-Surgeon Experience on Post-Mastectomy Subcutaneous Implant-Based Breast...

Significant advances have been made to the reconstructive tools available to plastic surgeons allowing for the re-exploration of subcutaneous breast reconstruction. The purpose of the current study is to examine the safety, efficacy, and aesthetic results of subcutaneous breast reconstruction by a single-surgeon. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients undergoing subcutaneous implant-based breast reconstruction between April 2012 and September 2014. All implants were fully wrapped in Alloderm and placed in the subcutaneous (pre-pectoral) plane. Primary outcome was a successful subcutaneous breast reconstruction. All complications were recorded. Aesthetics of the preoperative and postoperative photographs were examined. A total of 135 breasts (79 patients) were reconstructed. Direct-to-implant reconstruction was performed in 8 patients (10%). Successful breast reconstruction was achieved for 130 breasts in 76 patients (96%). Sixty-nine patients (87%) had a course free of any unexpected event or complication. There were no patients with implant extrusion or skin necrosis requiring operative intervention. When comparing pre-mastectomy breasts with post-mastectomy reconstructions, there was an improvement in the overall aesthetic outcome. Subcutaneous post-mastectomy breast reconstruction is safe and effective with comparable complication rates to standard techniques. Yet, this minimally invasive approach does not sacrifice the aesthetic results. Long-term studies will be required to prove the durability of aesthetic results overtime.