Prepectoral and subpectoral tissue expander-based breast reconstruction: A propensity-matched analysis of 90-day clinical and health-related quality-of-life outcomes Journal Article


Authors: Nelson, J. A.; Shamsunder, M. G.; Vorstenbosch, J.; Polanco, T. O.; Matros, E.; Coriddi, M. R.; Mehrara, B. J.; Allen, R. J. Jr; Dayan, J. H.; Disa, J. J.
Article Title: Prepectoral and subpectoral tissue expander-based breast reconstruction: A propensity-matched analysis of 90-day clinical and health-related quality-of-life outcomes
Abstract: Background: Prepectoral placement of tissue expanders for two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction potentially minimizes chest wall morbidity and postoperative pain. The authors explored 90-day clinical and health-related quality-of-life outcomes for prepectoral versus subpectoral tissue expander breast reconstruction. Methods: The authors conducted a propensity score-matching analysis (nearest neighbor, 1:1 matching without replacement) of patients who underwent immediate prepectoral or subpectoral tissue expander breast reconstruction between December of 2017 and January of 2019. Matched covariates included age, body mass index, race/ethnicity, smoking status, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, nipple-sparing mastectomy, and laterality of reconstruction. Outcomes of interest were perioperative analgesia use, 90-day postoperative patient-reported pain, complication rates, and BREAST-Q physical well-being of the chest scores. Results: Of the initial cohort of 921 patients, 238 were propensity-matched and included in the final analysis. The matched cohort had no differences in baseline characteristics. Postoperative ketorolac (p = 0.048) use was higher in the subpectoral group; there were no other significant differences in intraoperative and postoperative analgesia use. Prepectoral patients had lower pain on postoperative days 1 to 2 but no differences on days 3 to 10. BREAST-Q physical well-being of the chest scores did not differ. Prepectoral patients had higher rates of seroma than subpectoral patients (p < 0.001). Rates of tissue expander loss did not differ. Conclusions: This matched analysis of 90-day complications found lower early postoperative pain in prepectoral tissue expander patients but no longer-term patient-reported differences. Although prepectoral reconstruction patients experienced a higher rate of seroma, this did not translate to a difference in tissue expander loss. Long-term analysis of clinical and patient-reported outcomes is needed to understand the full profile of the prepectoral technique. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III. © 2022 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Keywords: retrospective studies; quality of life; mastectomy; breast neoplasms; breast reconstruction; mammaplasty; retrospective study; tissue expansion devices; breast tumor; breast endoprosthesis; breast implants; breast augmentation; tissue expander; breast implantation; adverse event; procedures; humans; human; female; adverse device effect
Journal Title: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Volume: 149
Issue: 4
ISSN: 0032-1052
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2022-04-01
Start Page: 607e
End Page: 616e
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000008892
PUBMED: 35103644
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC8967798
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 2 May 2022 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Joseph Disa
    265 Disa
  2. Babak Mehrara
    458 Mehrara
  3. Evan Matros
    209 Matros
  4. Joseph Henry Dayan
    101 Dayan
  5. Robert J Allen Jr
    102 Allen Jr
  6. Jonas Allan Nelson
    221 Nelson
  7. Michelle Renee Coriddi
    63 Coriddi
  8. Thais O Polanco
    24 Polanco