Impact of Body Mass Index on Surgical Outcomes After Delayed Breast Reconstruction
Anaïs Benziane, Violette Mesdag, Emilie Bogart, Clothilde Petitnicolas, Camille Defoort, Loïc Boulanger, Marie‐Pierre Chauvet, Marie‐Cécile Le Deley, C. Régis, K. HannebicqueABSTRACT
Background and Objectives
Obesity is associated with increased postoperative morbidity in surgery. However, its specific impact on complications following delayed breast reconstruction (DBR) remains insufficiently documented.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective single‐center study including patients who underwent first‐time delayed breast reconstruction between 2018 and 2023. The primary objective was to evaluate the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the occurrence of postoperative complications.
Results
A total of 310 patients were included and categorized into three BMI groups (<25, N = 143; [25–30 [ N = 97; ≥30 kg/m 2 , N = 70). The proportion of complications increased significantly with BMI: 29% in patients with BMI < 25, 39% in overweight patients, and 59% in obese patients. Surgical site infections, antibiotic use, and wound‐healing disorders were significantly more frequent in obese patients. In multivariable analysis, higher BMI and autologous reconstruction were significantly associated with postoperative complications. A higher BMI was not significantly associated with an increased risk of reconstructive failure or hospital readmission.
Conclusion
Higher BMI is associated with increased postoperative complications after DBR without a significantly higher rate of reconstructive failure, supporting the feasibility of delayed breast reconstruction in obese patients.