Breast surgeons performing immediate breast reconstruction with implants – Assessment of resource-use and patient-reported outcome measures

Oncoplastic surgery, including immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), is expanding as a result of public demand. IBR in women with breast carcinoma is resource intense and the reconstruction is often completed concurrently with adjuvant oncological treatment. A series of 223 patients with implant-based IBRs, performed by breast surgeons 2005-2008, were analysed for use of resources and outcome. Low overall major complication rates (19,7%) were identified, even though 41% of the patients had received post-mastectomy radiation. A total of 1.1 reoperations per patient were required. Patient-reported outcomes using the EQ-5D and a disease-specific questionnaire at a median of four years follow-up were analysed. Patients' general health-state was high (0.83), whereas negative impact on intimate situations and the sensibility of the breast was reported. Our audit concludes that trained breast surgeon specialists perform implant-based IBRs with a satisfactory outcome when evaluated by subjective and objective analyses.