Assessment of advanced age as a risk factor in microvascular breast reconstruction.

Background: The population of elderly people is the fastest growing population in the United States. Because breast cancer typically affects the elderly population, surgeons will be performing more mastectomies in older patients. In this study, we evaluate the risks of microvascular breast reconstruction as a function of increasing age. Methods: Between July 2002 and September 2009, a retrospective analysis of 818 free-flap breast reconstructions was used to assess the risk of age on surgical outcomes. Patient comorbidities, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and length of hospital stay were used to assess the rates of complications among our age cohorts. Results: Advanced age was not associated with increased complications (P > 0.69). ASA class was a significant predictor of overall complications (P Conclusions: Advanced age should not be considered a risk factor for microvascular breast reconstruction. Because ASA status did predict overall surgical complications, surgeons should consider the patients' overall health status in deciding whether to operate.