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Updated: Jun 27, 2025
Endoscopic Bilateral Nipple-sparing Mastectomy via a Single Axillary Incision with Immediate Pre-pectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction
Published on: May 17, 2024
Immediate Unilateral Subpectoral Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction does not Impair Pulmonary Functions: A
Lior Har-Shai1,2, Eyal Franco3,4, Michal Shteinberg5,4
1The Department of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery & Burns, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, 39 Jabotinski St, 49100, Petah Tikva, Israel. liorhs@gmail.com.
Background:
Implant-based breast reconstruction is one of the most common procedures among women with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy. Prosthetic devices may be positioned either beneath or above the pectoralis major muscle, which is considered an accessory muscle of ventilation. This preliminary prospective study aimed to investigate whether subpectoral unilateral implant-based breast reconstruction has any effect on patients' pulmonary functions.
Methods:
A prospective study of fourteen women who underwent immediate unilateral implant-based subpectoral breast reconstruction by a single surgeon over 10 months was conducted. Spirometry and maximal voluntary ventilation tests were conducted 1 day prior to surgery, and 1- and 3 months following breast reconstruction. ANOVA or Friedman test were used to compare pulmonary function tests before and after surgery.
Results:
Fourteen patients completed the study protocol. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing spirometry parameters in the three time points.
Conclusions:
Pectoralis muscle release does not impair pulmonary function among patients undergoing immediate unilateral implant-based breast reconstruction following mastectomy.
Level Of Evidence Iii:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
