Meta-Analysis of Immediate Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Versus Autologous Breast Reconstruction in the Setting of PMRT

Background It is still a controversial debate that which type of immediate breast reconstruction should be operated on breast cancer patients in the setting of postmastectomy radiotherapy. This meta-analysis compared incidence of complications requiring reoperation (CRR), reconstruction failure (RF) and patient-reported outcome between immediate autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) and immediate implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR), tissue expander/implant reconstruction mostly, in the setting of postmastectomy radiotherapy. Methods Systematic and thorough research was conducted to search for studies published before August 1, 2022, by using three online databases. Studies that covered complications or reconstruction failure between two cohorts were included. To evaluate the possible bias in the included studies, the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was applied. Results Eight studies presenting 1261 patients were enrolled. The relative risk associated with reconstructive failure favored IBBR (RR = 8.61; 95% CI, 2.84–26.08; P = 0.0001). While the risk for complications requiring reoperation was not significantly different between two groups, either include reconstruction failure (RR = 1.45 95% CI, 0.82–2.55; P = 0.20) or not (RR = 0.63 95% CI, 0.28–1.43; P = 0.27). However, because statistical definitions and methodologies vary, the synthesized result should be taken critically. Conclusion Patients with IBBR have more possibility experiencing RF compared that with ABR, while the chance for CRR is not that different between two groups. For the purpose of clinical practice refinement, more high-quality studies are needed. Level of Evidence III 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 .