Cohort study of immediate implant exchange during acute infection in the setting of breast reconstruction

Summary Background Implant infections in the setting of breast reconstruction present a significant setback for patients with breast cancer. Traditional management of implant infections is predicated on the operative removal of the implant and delayed replacement. Another option for implant infection management has emerged in which the soft tissue infection is neutralized, the implant is removed, the surgical site is washed out, and a new implant replaced immediately. In this study, we present our findings with the implementation of this technique and an algorithm for choosing which patients are the most appropriate candidates on the basis of a retrospective review. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent operative removal of infected expanders from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2015 was performed at the University of Michigan by the senior authors. The final reconstructive outcome, time to reconstruction, and infection recurrence were evaluated. Results Twenty patients with clinical signs of implant infections were identified. Of them, 16 patients with clinical signs of implant infection underwent immediate implant exchange; 15 remained infection free, while 1 patient developed recurrent infection within a month, which was treated with device removal. The mean time to final reconstruction in the 15 infection free patients was 207 days, and the 4 patients who underwent removal without immediate replacement had a 75% rate of non-completion at over 500 days. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that immediate implant exchange safely offers patients the opportunity to remain on a path toward reconstruction. These findings offer support for a paradigm shift in our management of implant infections in breast reconstruction patients who already face challenges associated with breast cancer care.