Best Practices

Assessment of Free Flap Breast Reconstructions

Fed Pract. 2017 September;34(9):33-36

References

1. Tuggle CT, Patel A, Broer N, Persing JA, Sosa JA, Au AF. Increased hospital volume is associated with improved outcomes following abdominal-based breast reconstruction. J Plast Surg Hand Surg. 2014;48(6):382-388.

2. Shulkin DJ. Beyond the VA crisis — becoming a high-performance network. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(11):1003-1005.

3. Novakovic D, Patel RS, Goldstein DP, Gullane PJ. Salvage of failed free flaps used in head and neck reconstruction. Head Neck Oncol. 2009;1:33.

4. Davison SP, Kessler CM, Al-Attar A. Microvascular free flap failure caused by unrecognized hypercoagulability. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;124(2):490-495.

5. Masoomi H, Clark EG, Paydar KZ, et al. Predictive risk factors of free flap thrombosis in breast reconstructive surgery. Microsurgery. 2014;34(8):589-594.

6. O’Neill AC, Haykal S, Bagher S, Zhong T, Hofer S. Predictors and consequences of intraoperative microvascular problems in autologous breast reconstruction. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2016;69(10):1349-1355.

7. Sanati-Mehrizy P, Massengburg BB, Rozehnal JM, Ignargiola MJ, Hernandez Rosa J, Taub PJ. Risk factors leading to free flap failure: analysis from the national surgical quality improvement program database. J Craniofac Surg. 2016;27(8):1956-1964.

8. Myers LL, Sumer BD, Defatta RJ, Minhajuddin A. Free tissue transfer reconstruction of the head and neck at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Head Neck. 2008;30(8):1007-1011.

9. Roslan EJ, Kelly EG, Zain MA, Basiron NH, Imran FH. Immediate simultaneous bilateral breast reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric (DIEP) flap and pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) pedicle flap. Med J Malaysia. 2017;72(1):85-87.

10. Leong M, Chike-Obi CJ, Basu CB, Lee EL, Albo D, Netscher DT. Effective breast reconstruction in female veterans. Am J Surg. 2009;198(5):658-663.

11. Kwok AC, Goodwin IA, Ying J, Agarwal JP. National trends and complication rates after bilateral mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction from 2005 to 2012. Am J Surg. 2015;210(3):512-516.

12. Ochoa O, Theoharis C, Pisano S, et al. Positive margin re-excision following immediate autologous breast reconstruction: morbidity, cosmetic outcome, and oncologic significance. Aesthet Surg J. 2017; [Epub ahead of print.]

13. Garvey PB, Clemens MW, Hoy AE, et al. Muscle-sparing TRAM flap does not protect breast reconstruction from post-mastectomy radiation damage compared to DIEP flap. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014;133(2):223-233.

14. Kronowitz SJ. Current status of autologous tissue-based breast reconstruction in patients receiving postmastectomy radiation therapy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012;130(2):282-292.

15. Fitzgerald O’Connor E, Rozen WM, Chowdhry M, et al. The microvascular anastomotic coupler for venous anastomoses in free flap breast reconstruction improves outcomes. Gland Surg. 2016;5(2):88-92.

16. Jandali S, Wu LC, Vega SJ, Kovach SJ, Serletti JM. 1000 consecutive venous anastomoses using the microvascular anastomotic coupler in breast reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2010;125(3):792-798.

17. Pannucci CJ, Basta MN, Kovach SJ, Kanchwala SK, Wu LC, Serletti JM. Loupes-only microsurgery is a safe alternative to the operating microscope: an analysis of 1,649 consecutive free flap breast reconstruction. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2015;31(9):636-642.

18. Teunis T, Heerma van Voss MR, Kon M, van Maurik JF. CT-angiography prior to DIEP flap reconstruction: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Microsurgery. 2013;33(6):496-502.

19. Fitzgerald O’Connor E, Rozen WM, Chowdhry M, Band B, Ramakrishnan VV, Griffiths M. Preoperative computed tomography angiography for planning DIEP flap breast reconstruction reduces operative time and overall complications. Gland Surgery. 2016;5(2):93-98.

20. Malhotra A, Chhaya N, Nsiah-Sarbeng P, Mosahebi A. CT-guided deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap localization—better for the patient, the surgeon, and the hospital. Clin Radiol. 2013;68(2):131-138.

21. Ilonzo N, Tsang A, Tsantes S, Estabrook A, Thu Ma AM. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy: a ten-year analysis of trends and immediate postoperative outcomes. Breast. 2017;32:7-12.

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Discussion

With the number of women veterans steadily increasing, the number of patients in need of breast cancer surgery, including reconstruction, will rise in the VA.¹⁰ Fortunately, breast reconstruction is an elective procedure. Immediate breast reconstruction is a popular option because patients can combine surgeries and potentially avoid 2 recovery periods, and a better aesthetic outcome is possible because the skin does not have time to contract. Although immediate reconstruction has been increasing in popularity, it is associated with a higher complication rate.¹¹ Further, reconstruction can be jeopardized if the oncologic plan is changed in the early postoperative period.

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Positive margins found after an autologous reconstruction result in a more complicated postoperative course and a higher rate of wound complications.¹² Unexpected radiation therapy after autologous reconstruction can severely distort a tissue flap because of fat necrosis, fibrosis, and contraction.^13,14 From a practical perspective in the federal system, it is very difficult to coordinate 2 surgeons’ schedules when the system is already struggling to keep up with demand. Splitting the ablative and reconstructive surgery allows the urgent problem (cancer) to be addressed first, ensuring clear margins and allowing the patient to recover and consider all reconstructive options without feeling time pressure.

A large tertiary care center will have staff and equipment redundancy, but this study had to consider limitations in resources. The preoperative lead time allows the ICU to arrange a bed for hourly flap checks and for in-servicing new nursing staff on free flap monitoring. This was well received, and patients gave positive feedback on the staff. The OR schedulers can schedule nurses and techs who are familiar with the microscope and microsurgery instruments. The micro sets were opened, and the microscope powered on for practice runs a week before the procedures to insure no broken or missing instruments.

High-procedure volume would logically improve efficiency. Although the VA is not likely to become a tertiary center for breast reconstruction, the findings of other high-volume microsurgeons can be applied to improve speed and limit complications. Efforts to limit the OR time included use of preoperative imaging and intraoperative venous couplers. Venous couplers can result in shorter OR time, fewer returns to the OR, and excellent patency rates.^15,16 One microsurgeon performed his surgery using only loupe-assisted vision (x 3.5), without use of the microscope. Pannucci and colleagues have recommended this as a way to improve access and OR efficiency.¹⁷ Use of the CTA has been found to decrease the rate of partial flap necrosis and improve speed of surgery.^18-20

Careful patient selection allowed a hospital stay that averaged 4.5 days and minimized risks for return to the OR. Only patients who were nonsmokers were offered the surgery. Average BMI was 30 to prevent the known operative risks in breast surgery patients who are morbidly obese.^21-23 No patients had a history of thromboembolic disease. Most patients were discharged home from the ICU. They eventually returned for elective revisions, second stages, and balancing procedures.

Conclusion

Free flap breast reconstruction can be offered as a treatment option with appropriate patient selection and planning. The most efficient way to provide this procedure within the federal system and to minimize the risk of flap loss and complications is by offering delayed reconstruction, obtaining preoperative CTA imaging, utilizing venous couplers, and frequently communicating with all involved practitioners from the OR to the ICU. This small study provides a good starting point to illustrate that tertiary-care reconstructive surgery can be offered to veterans within the federal system.

Acknowledgments
This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida.