Validating a digital recovery tool for autologous breast reconstruction

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Digital Health
• Surgical Recovery Monitoring

Background:

• Traditional surgical recovery metrics (readmission, flap failure, PROMs) suffer from inaccuracy and subjectivity.
• Continuous data from technology can enhance understanding of surgical recovery.
• Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction recovery needs objective assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate smartphone-derived physical activity data for objectively measuring recovery after DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
• To analyze recovery trends using continuous physical activity data.
• To compare smartphone data with wearable activity monitors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective single-center study involving 41 patients undergoing DIEP reconstruction.
• Participants used a bespoke smartphone app for data collection from 1 month preoperatively to 12 months postoperatively.
• Physical activity data was validated against wearable activity monitor data and analyzed for temporal trends.

Main Results:

• Smartphone and wearable data showed a positive correlation (0.6379, p=0.0105), confirming concurrent validity.
• Patients returned to baseline physical activity at a median of 27 days (IQR 12 days).
• Physical activity dropped to 18% of baseline in the first 2 weeks post-DIEP, recovering to 107% by 8-12 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone physical activity monitoring is a validated, objective metric for DIEP reconstruction recovery.
• This technology can inform recovery prediction models for shared decision-making.
• Future applications include perioperative interventions and postoperative monitoring.