Katharina Buczek
Additionally, despite autologous reconstruction being “an inherently more complicated procedure,” those patients were actually twice as likely to complete their reconstruction as opposed to implant-based reconstruction patients.
The researchers also determined some of the high-risk factors for reconstructive burnout, which included older age, diabetes, higher body mass index (BMI), radiation, and TE-related complications.
Now, the team’s study did have one significant limitation: it lacked precise information on why each patient opted to stop the reconstruction process prematurely. However, the researchers note that there is a myriad of reasons which can lead to this outcome.
“During the course of breast reconstruction after mastectomy, patients can be overwhelmed either emotionally, mentally, and/or physically and prematurely stop reconstruction due to reconstructive burnout,” the co-authors wrote.
In turn, they believe that each patient’s reconstructive journey must be tailored to meet both their physical and emotional needs, and they hope that this study will pave the way.
“These findings will help guide pre-operative and pre-reconstructive conversations with patients in order to manage expectations for patients that may be highly susceptible to burnout.”
The researchers also emphasized the need for increased availability of all breast reconstruction methods– underscoring that having more options would help patients make better-informed decisions and ultimately follow through with their breast reconstruction goals.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, visit the link here.
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