Immediate Plastic Surgery Intervention after Soft Tissue Sarcoma Resection: Examining Wound Healing, Readmission, and...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) resection often involves a multidisciplinary team.
• The specific role of immediate plastic surgeon involvement in STS resection outcomes requires further assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of immediate plastic surgeon involvement on outcomes following index soft tissue sarcoma resection.
• To identify risk factors for wound healing complications and readmission after STS resection.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of adult patients undergoing index STS resection from 2005-2018.
• Comparison of outcomes (90-day reoperation, readmission, wound complications) between patients with and without plastic surgeon involvement.
• Multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of complications and readmission.

Main Results:

• Plastic surgery intervention was a significant protective factor against 90-day wound healing complications (OR = 0.321, P = 0.007).
• Patients with plastic surgeon involvement had similar complication rates despite longer operative times and hospital stays.
• Operative time and hospital length of stay were predictors for wound healing complications, while operative time and tumor stage predicted readmission.

Conclusions:

• Immediate plastic surgeon involvement is associated with improved wound healing outcomes in soft tissue sarcoma resection.
• A multidisciplinary approach including plastic surgery can mitigate complications without compromising overall outcomes.
• Plastic surgeon involvement should be considered in the multidisciplinary management of soft tissue sarcoma.