Interest of acellular dermal matrices in immediate breast reconstruction: Comparison of quality of life and complications with and without matrix

Since 2001, acellular dermal matrices have been increasingly used in immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) because they allow for the placement of the ideal-sized definitive implant in one step. They are used in both retropectoral and prepectoral prosthetic breast reconstructions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of dermal matrices on the quality of life and on complications. Two surveys were used to evaluate the quality of life: the BREAST-Q V2.0© and the QuickDASH. The surveys were sent to all patients who had an immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction at a University Hospital Center from 2010 to 2020. A case-control study was performed for comparison of responses between the "Matrix+" and "Matrix-" groups. Seventeen IBR with matrix (23.6%) and 55 IBR without matrix (76.4%) were analyzed. Patients in the "Matrix+" group had a better quality of life in terms of sexual well-being (p = 0.038) and a significantly lower QuickDASH (p