View article

Background

The optimal timing of expander-implant exchange in the setting of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) remains unclear with prior reports yielding inconsistent and variable results. The purpose of this study was to characterize complications associated with the sequencing of expander-implant breast reconstruction before or after PMRT and to compare the outcomes between early (< 4 months) and late (> 4 months) expander-implant exchange in the subset of patients who received PMRT before exchange.

Materials and Methods

The medical records of all patients PMRT in the setting of tissue expander-implant breast reconstruction between June 2004 and June 2011 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were first classified as having undergone expander-implant exchange before the initiation of PMRT or after the completion of PMRT. Patients who underwent expander-implant …