Function and Strength after Free Abdominally Based Breast Reconstruction: A 10-Year Follow-Up

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Abstract
Background: The long-term impact of abdominally based free flap breast reconstruction is incompletely understood. The aim of this study is to provide long-term, subjective and objective health data on abdominally based free flap breast reconstruction patients, with specific attention to the effects of laterality, flap type, and obesity. Methods: Patients were enrolled in this prospective study between 2005 and 2010 and completed preoperative, early (p < 0.001) and mental health (p < 0.001), and did not differ based on laterality or flap type. Obesity negatively impacted physical health (p = 0.002) and mental health (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction is associated with significant improvements in long-term quality of life across key domains of physical and mental health with little functional impairment and no long-term differences across flap type or laterality. Obese patients, however, may be at risk for subjective physical and mental health impairment, perhaps unrelated to the surgery itself.

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