Patients who undergo implant based immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) are offered an option of pre- versus sub-pectoral breast reconstruction. Both approaches are well established and have proven safety in terms of low rate of complication rates. However, we do not know if there is a significant difference in patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) between the two surgical techniques over time.
The study aims to investigate if the difference in the surgical technique for immediate implant breast reconstruction (pre- versus sub-pectoral) influences patient perceived outcomes. This is a prospective non-randomised longitudinal cohort study which will aim to recruit consecutive eligible patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate implant based reconstruction surgery for early breast cancer or risk reduction using repeated measures and mixed methods.
This study will utilise a well validated patient questionnaire for breast reconstruction (BREAST-Q; http://qportfolio.org/breast-q/breast-cancer/) and will be carried out at a teaching hospital breast unit. The specific objectives will be to compare aesthetic outcome, post-operative pain and functionality as reported by PROMs. The study participants will be followed up for 12 months. The PROMs data will be collected at baseline, 2 weeks, as well as at 3 and 12 months post-surgery. Matching data will be collected for each study participant including the type of surgery performed, patient characteristics, post-operative complications, and any recommended adjuvant treatment. These data will be correlated with the matching questionnaire results in order to explore for potential clinical factors which may influence PROMs.
