Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Endoscopic Bilateral Nipple-sparing Mastectomy via a Single Axillary Incision with Immediate Pre-pectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction
Published on: May 17, 2024
Long-term results of a standardized enhanced recovery protocol in unilateral, secondary autologous breast
Christian T Bonde1, Jens B Højvig1, Lisa T Jensen1
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery, and Burns, Section 7034 Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
Background:
In 2015, we published one of the first reports using an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) in microsurgery1, and in 2016, our final ERP setup in autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) using free abdominal flaps2. We showed that by adhering to a few simple, easy to measure, functional discharge criteria, it was possible to safely discharge the patients by the third postoperative day (POD). However, one of the challenges of interpreting studies using ERP in ABR is the often heterogenous patient populations and the need to clearly distinguish between primary and secondary and unilateral and bilateral reconstructions.
Materials And Methods:
In the 5-year period from 2016-2020, the same surgical team, performed 147 unilateral, delayed breast reconstructions (135 DIEP, 9 MS-TRAM-2, and 3 SIEA flaps) according to our previous analgesic protocol and surgical strategy. Data were collected prospectively.
Results:
Three flaps were lost (2%) and 82% of the patients(n=128) were discharged to home by POD 2 (n=8%) or 3 (74%). The remaining 18% (n=26) were discharged by POD 4 (12.5%) or 5 (5.5%). Ten patients (7%) were reoperated, and 17 patients (12%) had minor complications within POD 30 (infection, seroma, etc.) that did not necessitate hospital admission.
Conclusion:
Using our ERP, unproblematic discharge directly to home is possible on POD 3 in more than 80% of patients after ABR. ERP is no longer a research tool but considered standard of care in microsurgical breast reconstruction.
