BREAST RECONSTRUCTION: YOUR CHOICE
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Mastectomy
  • Going Flat
  • Reconstruction Basics
    • The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook
    • Timing your breast reconstruction
    • Tissue Expanders
    • Breast Implants
    • Autologous Tissue Flaps
    • Fat Grafting
    • Final Touches
    • The Decision Roadmap
    • Prep & Recovery
  • Finding the Right Plastic Surgeon
    • Choosing a Surgeon
    • Surgeons Who Perform Perforator Flap Reconstruction
  • Hereditary Breast Cancer
  • Insurance Issues
  • Breast Cancer Facts
  • Links
  • FAQs
  • Information for Surgeons
  • Contact
  • Media
    • Breast Reconstruction Facts
    • About the Author

3/9/2015

Risk of Venous thromboembolism higher after autologous breast reconstruction in women over age 65

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture
Women who are 65 or older are often thought to be at more risk for complications after breast reconstruction, but a new study shows that isn’t necessarily the case.

Analyzing records for 40,769 women who had unilateral mastectomy between 2005 and 2012, researchers identified 15,093 women who were age 65 or older at the time of their surgery; almost 11% of these older women had breast reconstruction, compared to 39.5% of mastectomy patients who were younger than age 65.

When researchers compared 30-day complication rates between the two age groups, they found:
  • complication rates were similar among women who had reconstruction with breast implants.

  • for the most part, rates of post-surgical complications after autologous tissue flap reconstruction (with a woman's own natural tissue)—longer hospital stays, more frequent complications, and more re-operations—was similar: about 7% of the older women developed post-surgical complications after breast reconstruction, compared to about 5% of younger women.

  • women in the 65+ group who had autologous reconstruction were more likely to suffer venous thromboembolism than their younger counterparts.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a blood clot that forms in the leg or lung that breaks loose and travels in the blood. Overall, the rate of VTE among women who had autologous breast reconstruction was just 1%. Women who were 65 and older developed VTE 4 times more often than their younger counterparts; women between ages 70 and 75 developed the same problem 6 times more often.

Study authors suggested that, "Older patients should be counseled that their age does not confer an increased risk of complications after implant-based post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. However, they should be counseled that their age may confer an increased risk of VTE.”

The somewhat higher risk of VTE doesn’t necessarily preclude older women from having autologous breast reconstruction, but it does indicate that more precautions, such as the use of blood-thinning medications, should be taken with older women.

Source: Butz DR, Lapin B, Yao K, et al. “Advanced age is a predictor of 30-day complications after autologous but not implant-based postmastectomy breast reconstruction.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2015 Feb; 135(2):253e-61e.


Share

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    January 2014
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Expanders/implants
    Fat
    Fat Grafting
    Genetic Issues
    Hereditary Risk
    Life After Reconstruction
    Lumpectomy
    Mastectomy
    Nipple/tattoo
    Other
    Preventive Mastectomy
    Radiation Therapy
    Recovery
    Surgeons
    Surgery
    Tissue Flap Reconstruction
    Tissue Flaps
    Traveling For Reconstruction

    RSS Feed

The information on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
© 2011-2017 Kathy Steligo

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Mastectomy
  • Going Flat
  • Reconstruction Basics
    • The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook
    • Timing your breast reconstruction
    • Tissue Expanders
    • Breast Implants
    • Autologous Tissue Flaps
    • Fat Grafting
    • Final Touches
    • The Decision Roadmap
    • Prep & Recovery
  • Finding the Right Plastic Surgeon
    • Choosing a Surgeon
    • Surgeons Who Perform Perforator Flap Reconstruction
  • Hereditary Breast Cancer
  • Insurance Issues
  • Breast Cancer Facts
  • Links
  • FAQs
  • Information for Surgeons
  • Contact
  • Media
    • Breast Reconstruction Facts
    • About the Author
✕