Use of the synthetic and fully resorbable TIGR Matrix surgical mesh helped improve the outcome in breast cancer patients undergoing immediate reconstruction, according to a study published in the Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery.
The TIGR Matrix and other surgical meshes aim to support, and hold in place, breast implants to improve the aesthetic result with decreased risk of capsule formation. However, traditional meshes, such as the biological acellular dermal matrices, have been linked to severe complications including seroma, necrosis, and the loss of implants.
In the study, lead author Hakan Hallberg and colleagues investigated the use of the TIGR Matrix in a prospective series of 49 consecutive patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction with a tissue expander or permanent implant. All patients were non-obese, current non-smoker, and not scheduled for postoperative radiotherapy, explains a media release from Novus Scientific.
The TIGR Matrix—produced by Novus Scientific AB, headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden—resulted in a low incidence of complications. The rate of implant-loss was similar as reported with other matrices. Furthermore, TIGR Matrix showed a 3.1% incidence rate of seroma and a 1.5% risk of infections. For comparison, the reported incidences of seroma and infection with other matrices are up to 15% and 30%, respectively.
Immediate breast reconstruction with a tissue expander and TIGR Matrix surgical mesh has a low complication rate, concluded the investigators of the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, per the release.
[Source(s): Novus Scientific, PR Newswire]
