Search

Purpose: To determine whether adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is associated with adverse patient-reported outcomes and surgical complications 1 year after skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate autologous free flap reconstruction for breast cancer.Methods and Materials: We compared 24 domains of patient-reported outcome measures 1 year after autologous reconstruction between patients who received adjuvant RT and those who did not. A total of 125 patients who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2015 at our institution were included from the Mastectomy Reconstruction Outcomes Consortium study database. Adjusted multivariate models were created incorporating RT technical data, age, cancer stage, estrogen receptor, chemotherapy, breast size, body mass index, and income to determine whether RT was associated with outcomes.Results: At 1 year after surgery, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire breast symptoms were significantly greater in 64 patients who received RT (8-point difference on 100-point ordinal scale, P<.0001) versus 61 who did not receive RT in univariate and multivariate models. EORTC arm symptoms (20-point difference on 100-point ordinal scale, P=.0200) differed on univariate analysis but not on multivariate analysis. All other outcomes-including Numerical Pain Rating Scale, BREAST-Q (Post-operative Reconstruction Module), Patient-Report Outcomes Measurement Information System Profile 29, McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (MPQ-SF) score, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-were not statistically different between groups. Surgical complications were uncommon and did not differ by treatment.Conclusions: RT to the neo-breast compared with no RT following immediate autologous free flap reconstruction for breast cancer is well tolerated at 1 year following surgery despite patients undergoing RT also having a higher cancer stage and more intensive surgical and systemic treatment. Neo-breast symptoms are more common in patients receiving RT by the EORTC Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire but not by the BREAST-Q. Patient-reported results at 1 year after surgery suggest RT following immediate autologous free flap breast reconstruction is well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) is traditionally treated with venous bypass grafting, but controversy has arisen as arterial grafts have become more available., Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing ulnar artery bypass grafting for HHS with an arterial graft from 2008 to 2017 was performed. We also review the literature for patency rates and discuss the scenarios that favor different graft choices., Results: Six patients were included in our series. Five had primary surgery and 1 had revision surgery for HHS. Five arterial grafts were from the deep inferior epigastric artery and 1 was from the lateral circumflex femoral artery. The proximal anastomotic site was the ulnar artery for all: n = 6. The distal anastomosis site was the palmar arch and common digital artery (CDA) of the ring/small finger and CDA of the middle/ring finger: n = 3; the palmar arch and the CDA of the ring/small finger: n = 3. All patients were symptom-free at follow-up and had a patent ulnar artery on Allen's testing or angiogram., Conclusion: Patency rates of arterial grafts for HHS appear to be excellent and this small series and may offer an alternative to traditional venous grafts and end-to-end arterial anastomoses. We suggest using arterial perforator grafts from free flap donor sites. These have well-described anatomy, are easily harvested, and carry minimal donor site morbidity. Lateral circumflex femoral artery graft is favored in patients requiring a single distal anastomosis, who have a ventral hernia, or who are obese. Deep inferior epigastric artery graft is preferred when multiple distal targets or versatile configurations are needed, in thin patients, or in female patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© 2020 The Author(s).)