Obesity and Breast Reconstruction: Complications and Patient-Reported Outcomes in a Multicenter, Prospective Study

Background: The authors' purpose was to evaluate the effects of body mass index, as defined by World Health Organization criteria, on complications and patient-reported outcomes in implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction.

Methods: Complications and BREAST-Q patient-reported outcomes were analyzed 2 years after breast reconstruction for women from 11 participating sites. Separate mixed-effects regressions were performed to assess body mass index effects on outcomes.

Results: A total of 2259 patients (1625 implant-based and 634 autologous) were included. Women with class II/III obesity had higher risks of any complication in both the implant (OR, 1.66; p = 0.03) and autologous (OR, 3.35; p < 0.001) groups, and higher risks of major complications in both the implant (OR, 1.71, p = 0.04) and autologous (OR, 2.72; p = 0.001) groups, compared with underweight/normal weight patients. Both class I (OR, 1.97; p = 0.03) and class II/III (OR, 3.30; p = 0.001) obesity patients experienced higher reconstructive failures in the implant cohort. Class I obesity implant patients reported significantly lower Satisfaction with Breasts scores (mean difference, -5.37; p = 0.007). Body mass index did not significantly affect patient-reported outcomes for autologous reconstruction patients.

Conclusions: Obesity was associated with higher risks for complications in both implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction; however, it only significantly affected reconstruction failure and patient-reported outcomes in the implant reconstruction patients. Quality-of-life benefits and surgical risk should be presented to each patient as they relate to her body mass index, to optimize shared decision-making for breast reconstruction.

Clinical Question/level Of Evidence: Risk, I.