Routine Preoperative Nutritional Optimization Not Required in Patients Undergoing Breast Reconstruction

There are no data describing the need for preoperative nutritional optimization in patients undergoing breast reconstruction surgery. The purpose of this research was to identify if preoperative breast reconstruction patients are grossly nutritionally deficient as defined by preoperative serum albumin and, thus, if routine preoperative nutrition screening and optimization is necessary in this patient population.

Adult patients who underwent breast reconstruction surgery between 2015 and 2019 were identified within the National Safety and Quality Improvement Program database. Variables of interest for this group of patients were collected, and comparisons were made for these variables between three different breast reconstruction modalities (implant-based reconstruction [IBR], expander-based reconstruction [EBR], and free tissue-based reconstruction [FTBR]) with χ² and ANOVA statistical tests.

A total of 14,509 patients were included. There was not a significant difference in preoperative serum albumin measurements between the three reconstruction modalities and mean measurements for the three reconstruction modalities were all within normal limits. Secondarily, when comparing groups, FTBR had higher incidence of superficial surgical site infection (SSI) (4.49% vs. 1.6% vs. 1.56%, respectively; p < 0.00001), deep SSI (1.57% vs. 0.48% vs. 0.94%, respectively; p < 0.00001), and wound disruption (2.16% vs. 0.78% vs. 0.94%, respectively; p < 0.00001) than IBR and EBR.

Preoperative nutritional status was found to be grossly appropriate in a large population of breast reconstruction patients. Furthermore, the ordering of routine preoperative serum albumin is unnecessary and represents an extraneous healthcare cost that does not lead to improved outcomes in breast reconstruction. FTBR incurred the greatest risk of surgical complication independent of preoperative nutritional status.