Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) after mastectomy doesn’t negatively affect patient outcomes, according to a new study by researchers at Loma Linda University Health.
The finding could help ease the concerns of patients and physicians, many of whom have been unsure about the combined procedure compared to other options. At issue is a slight delay needed to coordinate schedules of both surgeons — one to perform the mastectomy, the other to perform the reconstruction. Doing so can extend the time from diagnosis to the initial surgery.
Researchers, however, found that a delay of less than 120 days for women under 60 did not have a substantial negative effect on patient survival rates. The average delay, they found, was two weeks.
