[Postmastectomy breast reconstruction--outcome on 33 consecutive cases].

UNLABELLED: Nowadays postmastectomy breast reconstruction for breast cancer, seems to receive greater acceptance than in the past due to three important reasons: the improvement of the methods and techniques of plastic surgery; the new improved materials used as breast prosthesis; the better informed patients. The aim of this study is to review the outcomes of breast reconstruction performed for patients with mastectomy for breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of 33 consecutive patients who underwent breast reconstruction, during a one year period, at a large municipal hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The main parameters studied were type of reconstruction, morbidity rate and type and number of reoperations. RESULTS: Among 33 patients , a number of 30 patient (90.9%) had theirs breasts reconstructed using a prostesis material and for 3 patients (9.1%) a flap type reconstruction was used. Immediate breast reconstruction was the preferred method of reconstruction. No major complications were noted. Minor complications were present in 4 patients (12.5%): infection (1 case), haematoma (1 case), skin necrosis (1 case), device extrusion due to local infection (1 case). CONCLUSIONS: Immediate breast reconstruction using expander and implant technique offers very good outcomes with low morbidity rate, excellent cosmetic results and consists in small, reliable and perfect reproductible operations.