Plastic Surgery Commons^™

Effects Of Marijuana Use In Patients Undergoing Abdominal Free Flap Breast Reconstruction, Tala Al-Saghir, Kinan Sawar, Alexander Vraa, Dunya Atisha

Medical Student Research Symposium

PURPOSE: Marijuana use is associated with incidence of vascular inflammation and clotting, resulting in endothelial damage and arteritis. As marijuana use rises, few studies have evaluated its impact on surgical outcomes, wound healing, and vascular anastomoses in free flap breast reconstruction.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing abdominal free flap breast reconstruction between 2016 and 2022 at a large metropolitan healthcare system was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, procedural details, and complications were analyzed. Minor complications were defined as skin necrosis, any wound requiring management in the clinic, hematoma, seroma, or fat necrosis that did not require intervention. Major …

Breaking Barriers To Breast Reconstruction Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Patients At A Large Safety-Net Hospital, Anna E Meade, Samantha M Cummins, Jordyn T Farewell, Sofia Duque, Sydney K Mulqueen, Ashleigh Chuah, Andrew Y Zhang

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Socioeconomic disparities remain prevalent among those who undergo breast reconstruction. At our institution, patients must meet certain criteria to become eligible for breast reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of socioeconomic factors on breast reconstruction eligibility, enrollment, choice, and completion at our large safety-net institution.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent partial or total mastectomy at a large safety-net hospital from 2016 to 2019 was completed. Surgical and demographic data were compared across varying socioeconomic factors.

Results: A total of 645 patients were included in the study. More patients of a racial …

Development Of A Novel Rodent Model Of Radiation-Induced Implant Capsular Contracture, Tanya Delyzer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Radiation-induced implant capsular contracture is a challenging complication of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. The objective of this thesis was to establish a novel rodent model that replicates the critical properties of this complication. Retired breeder female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent surgery with custom smooth silicone implants placed under the right 4^th mammary fat pad. Half these rats received 26Gy of ionizing radiation to the implant and fat pad. Radiated implants had both higher Baker grades of capsular contracture and Kumar scores denoting radiation-induced fibrosis. Irradiated capsules showed increased Masson’s trichrome staining and significantly higher hydroxyproline to total protein ratio compared to …

The Promotion Of Adipogenesis In A Rat Model Of Radiation-Induced Mammary Fat Pad Fibrosis, Jessica Truong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Radiofibrosis of the breast makes satisfactory breast tissue reconstruction challenging and is associated with complications. Autologous fat grafting can improve surgical outcomes but fat retention is variable. We developed RHAMM peptide mimetics (NPI-110) that decrease tissue fibrosis and increase mammary fat pad adipogenesis by promoting the differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells into adipocytes. We tested the efficacy of NPI-110 in a rat model of radiation-induced mammary fat pad fibrosis. Effects of radiation and NPI-110 were quantified by visible skin changes, fat pad volume estimates using high frequency ultrasound, mRNA expression of genes involved in fibrosis (Collagen-1:Collagen-1, TGFß1) and adipogenesis (PPARγ, …