Use of New Technologies in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction

Semin Plast Surg. 2019 Nov;33(4):258-263. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1696987. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Abstract

Outcomes after mastectomy and prosthetic-based breast reconstruction have improved immensely since the development of the first tissue expander and breast implant in the 1960s. One major factor contributing to our improved outcomes over the past two decades is the increasing availability and improvement of perfusion assessment technology. Instrumental methods now exist which allow surgeons to assess tissue viability intraoperatively, and provide actionable, objective data that augments clinical assessment. In this article, the authors detail two commercially available, state-of-the-art technologies that surgeons may use to assist in mastectomy flap assessment and facilitate the reconstructive process.

Keywords: hyperspectral imaging; implant-based breast reconstruction; indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

Publication types

  • Review