Does Fitzpatrick Score Predict Flap Loss? Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction Outcomes of Varying Skin Color

The aim of this study was to seek evidence that patients with darker Fitzpatrick score skin tones are more susceptible to flap loss due to unsalvaged vascular compromise in autologous flap breast reconstruction.

This is a retrospective study conducted on patients who underwent any type of autologous flap breast reconstruction performed by the two senior authors at an academic center between January 2010 and December 2021. The sole primary outcome variable was flap loss. Patient skin tone was assessed using the Fitzpatrick scale on clinical photographs of patients.

A total of 1115 pateints underwent autologous flap breast reconstruction, of which only 56 met both exclusion and inclusion criteria with 58 individual breasts being included in the final study population. The most common race of subjects was White (n = 33; 56.9%) while the most common Fitzpatrick score skin tone was type II (n = 22; 37.9%). The Cochran-Armitage test of trend showed a statistically significant linear trend, P = 0.006, with darker Fitzpatrick score skin tones associated with a higher proportion of flap loss in patients who had vascular compromise. A logistic regression showed that none of the predictor variables were significant.

Patients with darker Fitzpatrick skin tones were associated with flap loss after vascular compromise. To prevent flap loss in patients who have darker Fitzpatrick score skin tones, more aggressive flap monitoring should be taken into consideration in the immediate postoperative setting.