Our Experience Using Round Nano-Surface Ergonomix Implants for Breast Reconstruction: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Round nano-surface Ergonomix (Motiva, Establishment Labs; Alajuela, Costa Rica) implants were developed to address concerns regarding capsular contracture and textured anatomical breasts implants. OBJECTIVES: The authors describe their early experience with Ergonomix implants in breast reconstruction. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 212 patients (321 breasts) who underwent breast reconstruction employing round nano-surface Ergonomix implants between June 2017 and December 2020. Patients were followed for at least 12 months postoperatively. Demographics, surgical data, and postoperative surgical outcomes were recorded. Postoperative physical well-being and satisfaction with the breasts and implant were evaluated with Breast-Q questionnaires. RESULTS: Of 211 patients, 75.4% had surgery due to cancer, and 24.6% underwent prophylactic surgery. Major complications occurred in 21 breasts (6.5%), of which 20 underwent revision operations. Reconstruction failed in 1 case (0.3%). Eleven breasts (3.4%) had minor complications. Immediate breast reconstruction, irradiated breasts, and smokers had higher rates of complications (P = 0.009, 0.02, 0.022, respectively). Rippling was more common in the pre-pectoral implant plane compared with sub-pectoral reconstruction (9% vs 1.2%, P = 0.001). Capsular contracture rate was 0.9% and occurred only in irradiated breasts. Implant malposition (inferiorly and laterally) occurred in 6.5% of the breasts, with no association between implant malposition and implant plane. Early follow-up demonstrated high patient satisfaction with the implant and breasts, and high scores in terms of patients' physical well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Breast reconstruction employing the round nano-surface Ergonomix implant yielded low complication rates and high patient satisfaction. The transition from macro-textured to nano-surface implants has operative implications requiring a learning curve and surgical adjustments.

Superiomedial Pedicle Breast Reduction for Gigantic Breast Hypertrophy: Experience in 341 Breasts and Suggested Safety Modifications.

BACKGROUND: Reduction mammoplasty in patients with gigantic breast hypertrophy runs a high risk of complication. Traditionally, inferior pedicle reductions or free nipple grafting techniques have been recommended for gigantic breasts on the basis of measurements and expected resection weights. The superiomedial pedicle (SMP) technique has been less commonly used, due to concerns of vascular inadequacy. This study examines the outcomes of SMP in large reductions and outlines suggested modifications for enhanced safety. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of all patients who underwent SMP breast reduction in our institution between 2005 and 2016. Included are cases with resection weights greater than 800 g. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients with 341 breasts were included. Mean sternal notch to nipple (SNN) distance was mean 35.0 ± 6.6 cm (range 23-44.5) on the left and 34.9 ± 6.6 cm (range 18-46) on the right. Mean resection weight was 1152.2 ± 368.6 g (range 810-2926) on the left and 1159.4 ± 326.6 g (range 800-2528) on the right. The total complication rate was 22.7%. Minor complications occurred in 63 (18.6%) breasts. Major complications occurred in 12 (4.1%) breasts. NAC congestion and partial necrosis occurred in 1.8% and total NAC necrosis in 0.9%. CONCLUSION: The SMP reduction technique is a safe option for gigantic breast reduction with comparable complication rates to other techniques. Preoperative measurements or resection weights are not reliable risk factors alone. High tissue density may be a significant risk factor. High-risk breasts mandate surgical planning and should be tailored to include technical modifications as described. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Our Experience in Diagnosing and Treating Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is an uncommon T-cell lymphoma detected in association with textured implants. It presents as a fluid accumulation around the implant, usually years after the implantation. We present our experience in diagnosing and treating four patients with BIA-ALCL, each widely differing from the other. Data on patients' surgical history, relevant medical information, and findings on pathological slides were retrieved from their medical charts and retrospectively reviewed. Each of the four patients was diagnosed with BIA-ALCL, one after breast augmentation, one after breast reconstruction with an implant, one after breast reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi flap and implant, and the fourth after the removal of breast implants. The cases were presented to a multidisciplinary team and subsequently underwent surgery. All four are currently free of tumors, as established by a negative follow-up via positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Although the incidence of BIA-ALCL is rare, these cases emphasize the need to rule out the diagnosis of BIA-ALCL in patients with textured implants or a history of implanted textured devices who present with symptoms such as late seroma or peri-implant mass. This pathology is typically indolent and slow-growing and heightened awareness for an early diagnosis could lead to quicker intervention and enhanced patient management.

Using Virtual Reality for Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Preoperative Planning.

This study was designed to compare VR stereoscopical three-dimensional (3D) imaging with two-dimensional computed tomography angiography (CTA) images for evaluating the abdominal vascular anatomy before autologous breast reconstruction. Methods: This prospective case series feasibility study was conducted in two tertiary medical centers. Participants were women slated to undergo free transverse rectus abdominis muscle, unilateral or bilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator flap immediate breast reconstruction. Based on a routine CTA, a 3D VR model was generated. Before each procedure, the surgeons examined the CTA and then the VR model. Any new information provided by the VR imaging was submitted to a radiologist for confirmation before surgery. Following each procedure, the surgeons completed a questionnaire comparing the two methods. Results: Thirty women between 34 and 68 years of age were included in the study; except for one, all breast reconstructions were successful. The surgeons ranked VR higher than CTA in terms of better anatomical understanding and operative anatomical findings. In 72.4% of cases, VR models were rated having maximum similarity to reality, with no significant difference between the type of perforator anatomical course or complexity. In more than 70% of the cases, VR was considered to have contributed to determining the surgical approach. In four cases, VR imaging modified the surgical strategy, without any complications. Conclusions: VR imaging was well-accepted by the surgeons who commented on its importance and ease compared with the standard CTA presentation. Further studies are needed to determine whether VR should become an integral part of preoperative deep inferior epigastric perforator surgery planning.

Treatment Algorithm of Postsurgical Fat Necrosis of the Breast-Revisited.

Fat necrosis is a common complication of breast surgery, with the potential to cause both functional and aesthetic repercussions that can affect patient satisfaction. Although several fat necrosis classification systems have been proposed, fat necrosis management varies widely across institutions, requiring revisiting of existing treatment protocols. We evaluated the postoperative outcomes on 335 breasts following either breast reduction or reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps at our institution between 2016 and 2020, with particular attention to the development of fat necrosis and the need for subsequent surgical intervention. Fat necrosis was diagnosed in 36 (10.74%) breasts, of which 16 (44.4%) were surgically removed and 20 (55.5%) were conservatively managed. Time of fat necrosis diagnosis: early (≤one-month after breast surgery) or late (>1 month) was the only variable associated with surgical intervention. Fat necrosis management should be approached on a case-by-case basis. Whenever possible, conservative management with regular clinical and radiological follow-up, and patient reassurance, should be pursued even for large masses, in the absence of concomitant complications.

Current use of botulinum neurotoxin in esthetic practice-Clinical guide and review.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum neurotoxin is one of the most versatile and widely used medical products in the world. AIMS: The review's focus is the plastic and dermatologic uses of botulinum neurotoxin currently supported by published data. METHODS: Relevant clinical articles regarding botulinum neurotoxin use in plastic surgery, dermatology, and general esthetic literature were searched and reviewed. RESULTS: The search yielded 258 studies. Two hundred articles were excluded following title and abstract review. Twenty-one studies were excluded following full-text screening. A total of 37 studies remained and were discussed in this review. CONCLUSIONS: Botulinum neurotoxin is widely used for numerous off-label indications from head to toe. Some uses are well documented, and their safety has been demonstrated in controlled trials, yet most remain poorly researched.