Evaluation of the effects of radiotherapy on breast reconstruction with a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap

Introduction: Radiation negatively influences the results of breast reconstruction using implants. However, the effects of radiation on breast reconstruction with autologous tissue is still unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the postoperative complications in patients who underwent immediate and late breast reconstruction with a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap and statistically correlate these complications with the use of radiotherapy (RT). Methods: A retrospective survey of the medical records of patients who underwent breast reconstruction was conducted. Of the patients, 126 underwent breast reconstruction with a TRAM flap between 2004 and 2011. The presence or absence of RT and postoperative complications in the immediate and late reconstructions was assessed. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: 1) without RT (TRAM alone group), 2) TRAMRT group, and 3) RTTRAM group. The patients in each group were evaluated for the presence and absence of minor and major complications, and results were statistically analyzed. Results: The groups were considered homogenous for age and body mass index. The incidence of major complications was higher in the groups with RT after TRAM (29.6%) than in the other groups, namely the groups without RT (23.4%) and with RT before TRAM flap reconstruction (5.6%). However, the differences among the groups were not statistically significant. No evidence of statistically significant differences in minor complications were found among the groups. Conclusion: In this study, adjuvant RT was not a potentiating factor of complications in the patients who underwent immediate reconstruction with a TRAM flap after mastectomy