Nelson JA

[BACKGROUND] Radiation therapy (RT) significantly increases the risk of capsular contracture after implant-based breast reconstruction. However, the relationship between anatomic plane placement (eg, submuscular or prepectoral) and the deve…

[BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES] Tumor involvement of the posterior mandible often requires resection of the mandibular condyle and associated soft tissue. This study explores clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) associated with condyle…

Abdominally based free flap breast reconstruction offers excellent long-term outcomes, but donor-site morbidity remains a concern. Lower back pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that may impair core stability and abdominal donor-s…

[BACKGROUND] Black race is associated with worse outcomes following implant and autologous breast reconstruction. Although oncoplastic surgery is increasingly used to optimize aesthetic and oncologic outcomes, it remains unclear whether sim…

Increased awareness of textured breast implants' association with breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma has led to rising rates exchange from textured anatomic implants to smooth round implants, which can alter breast est…

[BACKGROUND]  Insurance type can serve as a surrogate marker for social determinants of health and can influence many aspects of the breast reconstruction experience. We aimed to examine the impact of insurance coverage on patients reported…

Opioid dependence can occur in 6% to 10% of patients undergoing breast reconstruction. With the expansion of interdisciplinary initiatives to decrease opioid use after surgery, an updated look at the incidence of and risk factors for prolon…

[BACKGROUND] Patients undergoing abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction are at risk for perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE), but the optimal anticoagulation protocol remains unknown. We hypothesized that a standardized chemo…

[INTRODUCTION] This study aimed to develop and validate an aesthetic grading tool (AGT) for bilateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction and investigate the correlation of BREAST-Q scores with perceived aesthetic outcomes. [METHODS] The AGT u…

[BACKGROUND] Patients with or at risk for breast cancer may opt for risk-reducing gynecologic surgeries, including bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies and/or total abdominal hysterectomy. The timing and safety of combining these procedures wi…

[BACKGROUND] As part of the 2021 changes to breast reconstruction CPT codes, the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) recommended adjustments to work RVUs (wRVUs) based on newly surveyed intraoperative times. The authors' objective w…

[BACKGROUND] Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols can reduce the length of stay (LOS) for surgical patients, including those undergoing unilateral deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction, all…

Composite defects of the scalp and calvarium are complex reconstructive problems. Bony reconstruction is often achieved with synthetic implants, demanding robust soft tissue coverage. In cases where the native scalp has been compromised, fr…

[BACKGROUND] The fibula free flap (FFF) is a common choice for mandibular reconstruction after post-oncologic resection. Advances in technology and surgical technique have changed the workflow of FFF-based mandible reconstruction. This stud…

[BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE] Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in surgical patients, with individuals undergoing abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction representing a particul…

In oncologic breast reconstruction, autologous techniques have been demonstrated to provide patients with improved long-term outcomes and fewer complications than implant-based techniques, especially in the setting of adjunct therapies. Whi…

[BACKGROUND] Increased understanding of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma has led to a shift away from textured breast devices. A few small studies have compared the complication rates of textured and smooth tissue ex…

[BACKGROUND] Textured implants have been linked to breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Patients who undergo explantation have options for reconstruction, but data on safety and patient-reported outcomes (PRO…

[BACKGROUND] Prepectoral tissue expander (TE) placement for two-stage postmastectomy reconstruction is usually performed in conjunction with insertion of acellular dermal matrix (ADM). However, the effects of ADM use on TE loss or other ear…

[BACKGROUND] The choice of tissue type for free flap reconstruction of posterolateral mandible resections is dependent on patient and defect characteristics. We compared clinical and patient-reported outcomes following reconstruction of the…

[BACKGROUND] There is a lack of literature of health-related quality of life endpoints for radial forearm (RF) versus anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap reconstruction for glossectomy defects. Our goal was to perform a comprehensive evalua…

[BACKGROUND] Femoral diaphyseal reconstructions with metal prostheses have mediocre results because of high mechanical forces that result in eventual implant failure. Biological alternatives require prolonged restrictions on weight-bearing …

[BACKGROUND] This study aims to explore the ideal breast size by assessing the relationship between mastectomy to free flap weight ratio and complications as well as patient-reported outcomes in autologous breast reconstruction (ABR). [MET…

The evolution of imaging actively shapes clinical management in the field. Ultrasonography (US), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) stand out as the most extensively researched imaging modalities…

[BACKGROUND]  A comprehensive understanding of changes in health-related quality of life after head and neck cancer surgery is necessary for effective preoperative counseling. The goal of this study was to perform a longitudinal analysis of…

The breast implant capsule is a dynamic structure that forms following the implantation of a device. Although normally benign, increased awareness of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) highlights that diseas…

[BACKGROUND] The association between textured implants and breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is well established, but the risk of BIA-ALCL in patients with transient exposure to a textured tissue expander (…

[BACKGROUND] One option to optimize prepectoral tissue expander fill volume while minimizing stress on mastectomy skin flaps is to use air as an initial fill medium, with subsequent exchange to saline during postoperative expansion. The aut…

[PURPOSE] Composite measures, like textbook outcomes, may be superior to individual metrics when assessing hospital performance and quality of care. This study utilized a Delphi process to define a textbook outcome in DIEP flap breast recon…