Impact of autologous breast reconstruction on bra fit
Purpose To inform bra design by analyzing 3D surface images of breast cancer patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction. Methods We computed bra design measurements on 3D surface images of patients who underwent unilateral and bilateral autologous breast reconstruction. Breast measureme...
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Published in | Supportive care in cancer Vol. 32; no. 2; p. 105 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Berlin/Heidelberg
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
01.02.2024
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Purpose
To inform bra design by analyzing 3D surface images of breast cancer patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction.
Methods
We computed bra design measurements on 3D surface images of patients who underwent unilateral and bilateral autologous breast reconstruction. Breast measurements and right-left symmetry between preoperative baseline and postoperative time points were compared using either paired Student
t
-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, depending on the data’s distribution. Regression analysis determined associations between measurements and patient characteristics such as age. Postoperative measurements and symmetry differences were also compared between autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction.
Results
Among participants who underwent bilateral autologous breast reconstruction, the reconstructed breasts were smaller and positioned higher on the chest wall than their native breasts. For patients who underwent unilateral reconstruction, similar postoperative changes were observed in the contralateral breast due to symmetry procedures. Overall, for participants whose baseline breast measurements showed substantial asymmetry, unilateral reconstruction decreased right-left asymmetry whereas bilateral reconstruction amplified right-left asymmetry. Preoperative baseline breast measurements, age, and BMI were statistically significantly associated with most postoperative breast measurements for participants who underwent bilateral autologous reconstruction. Compared to implant-based reconstruction, autologous reconstruction resulted in fewer changes in breast shape and symmetry that are pertinent to bra fit.
Conclusion
Preoperative baseline breast measurements, age, and BMI can impact bra designs for breast cancer survivors who undergo autologous reconstruction due to size, shape, and symmetry changes. Bra needs of people who undergo autologous reconstruction differ from those who undergo implant-based reconstruction. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0941-4355 1433-7339 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00520-023-08281-6 |