ABS ePoster Library

Introduction: There has been a considerable increase in the use of immediate reconstruction. However, recent controversy has arisen surrounding the oncological safety of immediate reconstruction. In particular, it has been suggested that an associated wound infection may confer a detrimental survival outcome. Thus, we aimed to assess the relationship between immediate breast reconstruction, wound infection and disease recurrence in our institution.
Methods: A retrospective review of breast cancer patients who underwent immediate breast reconstruction at our center from 2011 to 2015 was performed. The presence of infection was based on clinical signs and symptoms, in combination with microbiological evidence of wound infection from samples collected. Recurrence was defined as the presence of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.

Results: A total of 136 patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction. The mean age of this group was 45. Reconstruction techniques included implants alone (37%), Latissimus Dorsi flap (29%), DIEP (Deep inferior epigastric perforators) flap (25%), Latissimus Dorsi with implant (4%), Transverse Upper Gracilis (4%) and Omental (1%). Twenty-seven patients (19.8%) had microbiological proven surgical site infection. At a median follow-up of 36 months, nine patients (6%) had disease recurrence, two of which showed evidence of infection. No statistically significant difference in recurrence rates was observed (p=0.552) and no difference in overall survival (p =0.359) was observed between patients who had a post-operative infection and those without.

Conclusion: Wound infections associated with immediate breast reconstruction do not appear to have survival implications for breast cancer patients.