Patient Quality of Life After Subpectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction With Synthetic or Biological Materials

Aim Quality of life and patient satisfaction after subpectoral breast reconstruction with meshes or acellular dermal matrices (ADM) and implants were assessed using the BreastQ questionnaire to investigate a potential influence of the materials on these parameters. Patients and methods The BreastQ questionnaire was completed by 121 patients, who had received material-assisted, heterologous, subpectoral breast reconstruction between 2010 and 2018. Results Answers were similar independent of the reconstruction materials used. After prophylactic mastectomy, the physical wellbeing (chest) improved significantly with all materials (p=0.04). Postoperative radiotherapy significantly reduced satisfaction with outcome (p=0.005). Patients under 50 years old had significantly better postoperative sexual wellbeing than older patients (p=0.03). Conclusion No influence was detected of the materials on the postoperative quality of life and patient satisfaction. An overall better quality of life was reported by younger and normal-weight patients with prophylactic or nipple-sparing mastectomy without radiotherapy.