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Breast augmentation does not increase risk of complications with pectus excavatum repair

In a retrospective review, researchers determined that cosmetic breast surgery can be performed concurrently with pectus excavatum repair without an increased risk for complications.

The researchers reviewed data for 47 who underwent pectus excavatum repair at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona from January 2010 to September 2013. Patients’ median age was 35 years, and mean pectus severity was 6.2. All patients included in the study reported physiologic symptoms, which included dyspnea, pain, tachycardia/palpitations and exercise intolerance, as the primary reason for seeking repair.

Twenty patients (43%) had existing implants or the desire for implants at the time of repair, and 15 patients (32%) had prior breast augmentation and/or pectus implant. Five patients underwent concurrent augmentation, eight patients had breast implant exchange and four patients underwent removal of chest wall implants during the repair.

During an average follow-up period of 539 days, patients underwent chest radiographs on days 1, 2 and 4, at 1 week, at 6 to 8 weeks, and at 1 year postoperatively. Twenty-eight percent of patients experienced postoperative complications, the most common of which was pleural effusion requiring drainage. Additionally, one patient developed a hematoma following placement of a breast implant, which required evacuation 1 day after surgery. Overall, the researchers found no significant differences between the patients who underwent primary repair alone compared with those who underwent prior or concurrent augmentation.

The median length of hospital stay was 5 days for patients who underwent pectus excavatum repair alone and 5 days for repair with concurrent breast implant surgery or implant exchange; again, no significant differences were found between the groups, according to the researchers.

The researchers found that although the exchange of implants slightly increased operative time, no additional complications occurred in this patient subset. – by Abigail Sutton

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.