Immediate breast reconstruction using autologous free dermal fat grafts provides better cosmetic results for patients with upper inner cancerous lesions

Purpose

Although breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is the standard form of treatment for early-stage breast cancer, in patients with small breasts cosmetic results can be poor, especially when the lesion is located on the inner upper quadrant area. This study analyzes our use of autologous free dermal fat grafts (FDFGs) for immediate breast reconstruction.

Methods

A total of 23 patients who received a partial mastectomy for an inner upper quadrant lesion from 1992 to 2006 at Kagoshima University Hospital were retrospectively divided into three groups according to the reconstructive procedure that was used for the defect after partial mastectomy: immediate reconstruction using an autologous FDFG from the lower abdomen (group FDFG); patients receiving only rotation and fixation of the parenchymal adipose tissue or gland to repair the defect (group GL); and a third group who underwent immediate reconstruction using a miniflap of the latissimus dorsi (group LD).

Results

The total duration of surgery in group FDFG was significantly shorter than in group LD (P < 0.01). The mean volume of blood lost in group FDFG was significantly lower than in group LD (P < 0.01). The breast retraction assessment (BRA) of group FDFG was significantly better than for the patients in groups GL and LD (P < 0.01). The total score using the ABNSW system for cosmetic assessment was significantly better in group FDFG than in group GL (P < 0.01). Similarly, the total score in group FDFG using the assessment by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society was significantly higher than that in group GL (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Immediate breast reconstruction for a defect after a partial mastectomy of an upper inner quadrant malignant lesion using FDFG can be especially useful for patients with small breasts.     

Loco-regional recurrence after skin and nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction using free flap autologous tissue in a single institution

BackgroundImmediate autologous tissue breast reconstruction after skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomy, is becoming increasingly popular, while the benefits are evident, the concern is in leaving breast tissue under the skin envelope, which could potentially lead to a higher chance of recurrence. We aim to determine the incidence and study the management of loco-regional recurrence (LR) of breast cancer following immediate autologous free flap reconstruction (AFFR) from a 10-year database at a single tertiary breast unit.MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of consecutive patients who underwent AFFR between July 2008 and December 2018. All patients undergoing delayed reconstruction and risk-reducing surgery were excluded, leaving a total of 216 patients. Statistical analysis was performed to determine significance in the prediction of LR. Management and outcome of the LR was also studied.ResultsLR was found in 7/216 cases (3.25%). The median age at surgery for patients with LR, was 45 (range 31–54). Median time to recurrence was 54 months (7–79 months). Three patients presented with self-detected lesions. In all, 6/7 patients were ER/PR positive, 2/7 were HER2 + at recurrence, and 1/7 was triple negative.All patients underwent surgical excision for the LR followed by radiotherapy, either chemotherapy (n-5) and/or hormone therapy (n-2). No patients have developed further LR.Because of low numbers of recurrences, no statistical significance was observed for factors causing recurrence.ConclusionThe low LR we report demonstrates that immediate AFFR is oncologically safe. Timely recognition through post-reconstruction patient education and appropriate management results in good outcomes.     

Early experience with the crescent expander in immediate and delayed breast reconstruction.

Traditional breast expanders have known drawbacks, such as undesirable fullness at the upper pole, inadequate expansion of the residual breast tissue, and poor ptosis of the reconstructed breast. Crescent-shaped expanders are thought to improve the result in that expansion is concentrated at the basal breast pole. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to evaluate our results with the crescent-shaped expander in immediate and delayed breast reconstructions. Twenty-five patients, median age 51 (27-75) years, underwent 28 operations. The median follow-up time was 8 (4-15) months. Four patients developed complications including superficial infections, capsular contractions (Baker III-IV), and fullness of the upper pole. Three of these patients had been given irradiation. Breast reconstructions with the crescent-shaped expander allowed expansion of the lower pole and led to an anatomical breast shape. Patients' satisfaction during expansion was good. Our data indicate a correlation between complications and radiotherapy.     

Large-breast reconstruction using fat graft only after prosthetic reconstruction failure

Background  

When prosthetic reconstruction fails, and in the case of absolute contraindications to flaps use, no common reconstructive option is available.     

Improved patient-reported outcomes after autologous fat transplantation and corrective surgery after breast surgery

Background: Autologous fat transplantation (AFT) is being increasingly used to improve the results after breast-conserving surgery and breast reconstruction. However, studies on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after AFT are scarce. The aim of this prospective longitudinal case-series study was to assess PRO in women who had undergone AFT after surgery for breast cancer or risk-reducing mastectomy.

Methods: Fifty women, who had undergone breast-conserving surgery or breast reconstruction, needing corrective surgery, were consecutively included between 2008 and 2013. A 20-item study-specific questionnaire (SSQ) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used pre-operatively and 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operatively, to evaluate PRO and HRQoL.

Results: The patients underwent three (1–4) AFT procedures, with the injection of 164?ml (median) (range 40–516) fat. Thirty-eight and 34 patients completed the study-specific questionnaire and the SF-36, respectively, both pre-operatively and after 2 years. Sixteen of the 20 items in the SSQ were improved after 2 years, including breast size (p?p?p?p?=?0.001), pain in the region (p?=?0.005), scarring from previous breast surgery (p?p?Conclusions: AFT alone or in combination with other corrective surgical procedures, improved PRO after breast-conserving surgery and breast reconstruction in both irradiated and non-irradiated women.     

The free abdominoplasty flap for immediate breast reconstruction.

As free flap breast reconstruction has become more common, we have sought to further refine donor sites. A woman is presented in whom a free flap from the low abdominal wall based on the superficial inferior epigastric artery and vein is used. This procedure results in total sparing of the rectus abdominis muscles and may be applicable in thinner women with smaller breasts, who cannot spare the larger ellipse of the conventional transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap. As we have sought to further refine breast reconstruction using autogenous tissue, microvascular tissue transfers are assuming a more important role. At the present time, it is possible to evaluate each individual woman for the most appropriate and available donor tissue to achieve a symmetrical reconstruction. In any given woman, it may be more appropriate to use the abdomen, hips, or buttocks, depending on the size and shape of the opposite breast and where the tissue can be most easily spared. We report here a woman in whom immediate breast reconstruction was performed using only the excess skin and fat of the lower abdominal wall pedicled on a unilateral superficial inferior epigastric artery and vein.     

Early experience with the crescent expander in immediate and delayed breast reconstruction

Traditional breast expanders have known drawbacks, such as undesirable fullness at the upper pole, inadequate expansion of the residual breast tissue, and poor ptosis of the reconstructed breast. Crescent-shaped expanders are thought to improve the result in that expansion is concentrated at the basal breast pole. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to evaluate our results with the crescent-shaped expander in immediate and delayed breast reconstructions. Twenty-five patients, median age 51 (27–75) years, underwent 28 operations. The median follow-up time was 8 (4–15) months. Four patients developed complications including superficial infections, capsular contractions (Baker III–IV), and fullness of the upper pole. Three of these patients had been given irradiation. Breast reconstructions with the crescent-shaped expander allowed expansion of the lower pole and led to an anatomical breast shape. Patients’ satisfaction during expansion was good. Our data indicate a correlation between complications and radiotherapy.     

The effect of acellular dermal matrix on drain secretions after immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction

Abstract

In recent years the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has gained popularity in prosthetic breast reconstruction. These procedures involve placement of a closed suction drain in the reconstructed breast. Although it is now widely accepted that ADM has an overall positive effect on the outcome of breast reconstruction, data regarding its effect on postoperative drain secretions is lacking. This study was designed to quantitatively evaluate the influence of ADM on postoperative drain secretions in the setting of immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction (IPBR). This is a prospective, comparative controlled study. Two groups of 16 patients each underwent skin sparing mastectomies (SSM) and IPBR with or without ADM. Closed suction drains were left in all the reconstructed breasts and daily secretion volumes were recorded and compared. Postoperative complications were also noted. Patients in the ADM group showed higher daily and overall secretion volumes compared with patients in the control group (p = 0.014) and the time for removal of the drains was higher by an average of 5 days (13 compared with 8 days, respectively; p = 0.004). There was no correlation between ADM and infection. This study provides the first objective evidence that ADM contributes to elevated and prolonged drain secretions when used for IPBR. This might affect possible prosthesis-related complications (e.g., rotation and malposition, capsular contraction, seroma formation, and infection). This study also noted erythema of the post-mastectomy skin flaps in selected patients, which may be attributable to a local inflammatory reaction to the ADM rather than infection.     

Recurrences after immediate reconstruction in breast cancer.

AIM: To determine the incidence of and reasons for recurrences after immediate breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of 79 patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction between 1998 and 2001 in Kuopio University Hospital were re-examined from both the local cancer register and the patient charts at the end of year 2003. RESULTS: There were five local recurrences (6.3%), one regional recurrence (1.2%), and three cases (3.8%) presented bone and/or visceral metastases. All recurrences except one (primary tumor noninvasive) appeared within the first two years after primary therapy. Young age and increasing size of the tumour were risk factors for distant or logoregional metastases. CONCLUSION: Immediate breast reconstruction is a safe procedure in breast cancer patients, but a multidisciplinary team is needed for careful patient selection.     

应用Lipokit仪进行自体脂肪颗粒隆乳术的体会

目的探讨自体脂肪颗粒移植隆乳术较理想的方法及其临床效果。方法应用Lipokit仪抽吸腹部、臀部或大腿部的脂肪，将脂肪混悬液于4℃以3500r／min、离心7min，去除上、下层的杂质，然后将纯化的脂肪颗粒均匀地注射于乳房各层组织中。自2006年10月至2007年8月，采用自体脂肪颗粒注射的方法为23例患者（44侧乳房）进行了隆乳术，每侧乳房一次注射100～360ml。结果术后随访23例患者6～12个月。乳房较丰满、圆润，形态自然，手感柔软。除1例患者的双侧乳房出现了数个硬结，经CT检查证实为钙化结节外。余者未出现其他并发症。其中有4例患者进行了两次注射隆乳术。医患对术后效果均感到满意。结论自体脂肪颗粒是比较理想的软组织填充材料。而应用Lipokit仪进行自体脂肪颗粒抽吸及注射隆乳，可明显地减少感染、脂肪吸收、坏死等并发症的发生，提高了手术效果，此方法是目前较理想的自体脂肪颗粒移植的隆乳方法。     

Pure fat grafting for breast reconstruction: An alternative autologous breast reconstruction

Plastic surgeons offer various options for breast reconstruction based on patient preference, underlying disease, and comorbidities. An alternative form of breast reconstruction exists, which includes tissue expansion with tissue expander and subsequent fat grafting without the use of implant or flap. We retrospectively reviewed the breast cancer patients who underwent breast reconstruction at our institution to identify those with pure fat grafting. Demographic information, complications, operative details, and BREAST‐Q scores were abstracted. From 2010‐2015, 10 patients were identified. Patients with unilateral or bilateral mastectomy followed by pure fat grafting had a median of 3.5 or 4 sessions and a total median fat grafting volume of 380 or 974.5 cc, respectively. Patients were followed for 12 months, and no complications or breast cancer recurrences were noted. Finally, BREAST‐Q scores at the 12‐month follow‐up were comparable to the preoperative values.