Chronic pain in breast cancer patients post mastectomy with alloplastic reconstruction: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Women diagnosed with breast cancer are receiving mastectomy with implant-based reconstruction at an increasing rate. Chronic post-surgical pain can be a major concern for these patients. This review sought to address the knowledge gap on the prevalence, severity and characteristics of chronic pain in this population. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Five databases were searched using keywords. Two independent reviewers performed selection and data extraction of studies that met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in this review. Ten studies reported prevalence of chronic pain which ranged from 7.3%-90.9% with pooled prevalence of 26.3%. Nine studies reported severity of chronic pain using various scales and methodology; most patients' pain was not severe. Risk factors for chronic pain included axillary dissection, lack of perioperative local anaesthetic, younger age and use of a tissue expander. No studies reported on possible correlation between ethnicity and pain. Eleven different assessment tools were used to measure pain. CONCLUSION: Chronic pain following post-mastectomy implant-based breast reconstruction is prevalent, associated with specific risk factors and poorly characterised. There is a need to investigate and evaluate chronic pain in this population using validated breast cancer specific pain assessment tools.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breast Reconstruction: A Canadian Perspective.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented challenges and restrictions in surgical access across Canada, including for breast reconstructive services which are an integral component of comprehensive breast cancer care. We sought to determine how breast reconstructive services are being restricted, and what strategies may be employed to optimize the provision of breast reconstruction through a pan-Canadian evaluation from the providers' perspective. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of Canadian plastic and reconstructive surgeons who perform breast reconstruction. The 33-item web-based questionnaire was developed by a pan-Canadian working group of breast reconstruction experts and disseminated via email to members of the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgery. The questionnaire queried respondents on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on surgeons' breast reconstruction practice patterns and opinions on strategies for resource utilization. RESULTS: Responses were received from 49 surgeons, who reported practicing in 8 of 10 Canadian provinces. Restrictions on the provision of breast reconstructive procedures were most limited during the First Wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, where all respondents reported at least some reduction in capacity and more than a quarter reporting complete cessation. Average reported reduction in capacity ranged from 31% to 78% across all 3 waves. Autologous, delayed, and prophylactic reconstructions were most commonly restricted. CONCLUSION: This study provides a pan-Canadian impact assessment on breast reconstructive services during the COVID-19 pandemic from the providers' perspective. To uphold the standards of patient-centred care, a unified approach to strategically reorganize health care delivery now and in the future is needed.

HISTORIQUE: La pandémie de COVID-19 a donné lieu à des défis et des restrictions sans précédent en matière d'accès aux interventions chirurgicales au Canada, y compris les services de reconstruction mammaire qui font partie intégrante des soins complets du cancer du sein. Les chercheurs ont voulu déterminer le mode de restriction des services de reconstruction mammaire et les stratégies possibles pour en optimiser la prestation grâce à une évaluation pancanadienne du point de vue des chirurgiens. MÉTHODOLOGIE: La présente étude transversale a été effectuée auprès de chirurgiens plasticiens et reconstructeurs canadiens qui font de la reconstruction mammaire. Un groupe de travail pancanadien d'experts de la reconstruction mammaire a préparé le questionnaire en ligne en 33 points, lequel a été transmis par courriel aux membres de la Société canadienne de chirurgiens-plasticiens. Le questionnaire portait sur les répercussions de la pandémie de COVID-19 et les restrictions connexes sur les modes de pratique de reconstruction mammaire des chirurgiens, de même que sur leurs avis et stratégies à l'égard de l'utilisation des ressources. RÉSULTATS: Un total de 49 chirurgiens, qui ont déclaré exercer dans huit des dix provinces canadiennes, ont répondu au sondage. Les restrictions imposées aux interventions de reconstruction mammaire ont été plus limitées pendant la première vague de la pandémie COVID-19, puisque tous les répondants ont rendu compte d'au moins une certaine restriction de la capacité et que plus du quart ont fait état de leur arrêt complet. La diminution moyenne de la capacité a varié de 31 % à 78 % dans l'ensemble des trois vagues. Ce sont les reconstructions autologues, tardives et prophylactiques qui ont surtout été touchées. CONCLUSION: La présente étude fournit une évaluation pancanadienne des incidences de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur les services de reconstruction mammaire du point de vue des chirurgiens. Pour maintenir les normes des soins axés sur les patients, il faudra procéder à une réorganisation stratégique unifiée de la prestation des soins, tant maintenant qu'à l'avenir.

Utility and Access to 3-Dimensional Printing in the Context of Congenital Heart Disease: An International Physician Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a new technology capable of producing patient-specific 3D cardiac models. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of pediatric cardiologists was conducted. Members of the Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association and Congenital Cardiac Interventional Study Consortium were invited to participate. A questionnaire was distributed using Research Electronic Data Capture between May and September 2019. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher exact test, and odds ratio. RESULTS: A total of 71 pediatric cardiologists responded. Some 85% (60/71) agreed that patient-specific 3D printed cardiac models are a beneficial tool in treating children with congenital heart disease (CHD); 80% of those (48/60) believe 3D models facilitate communication with colleagues; 49% (35/71) of respondents had access to 3D printing technology; and 77% (27/35) of those were using models for clinical care. Access differed according to geographic location (P = 0.004). Of respondents, Americans were 5.5 times more likely (confidence interval, 1.6-19.2) than Canadians to have access to 3D printing technology. The primary reason for lack of access was financial barriers (50%, 18/36). In clinical practice, surgical planning is the primary use of models (96%, 26/27), followed by interventional catheterization planning (52%, 14/27). Double outlet right ventricle was the most commonly modelled lesion (70%, 19/27). CONCLUSION: 3D printing is a new technology that is beneficial in the care of children with CHD. Access to 3D printing varies by geographic location. In pediatric cardiology, 3D models are primarily used for procedural planning for CHD lesions with complex 3D spatial relationships.

CONTEXTE: L'impression en trois dimensions (3D) est une nouvelle technologie permettant de produire des modèles cardiaques 3D sur mesure pour chaque patient. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Une enquête transversale a été menée auprès de cardiologues-pédiatres. Les membres de l'Association canadienne de cardiologie pédiatrique et du Congenital Cardiac Interventional Study Consortium ont été invités à y participer. À cette fin, un questionnaire a été diffusé au moyen de l'outil REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) de mai à septembre 2019. Les résultats ont été analysés au moyen de techniques de statistique descriptive, du test exact de Fisher et du rapport de cotes. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 71 cardiologues-pédiatres ont répondu au questionnaire. Environ 85 % (60/71) des répondants convenaient que les modèles cardiaques personnalisés à chaque patient et produits par impression 3D sont utiles pour traiter les enfants atteints d'une cardiopathie congénitale; de ce nombre, 80 % (48/60) estimaient que les modèles 3D facilitent la communication entre collègues; 49 % (35/71) avaient accès à la technologie d'impression 3D et, parmi eux, 77 % (27/35) se servaient de modèles pour prodiguer des soins cliniques. L'accès variait selon l'emplacement géographique (p = 0,004). Parmi les répondants, les médecins situés aux États-Unis étaient 5,5 fois plus susceptibles (intervalle de confiance : 1,6-19,2) que les médecins canadiens d'avoir accès à la technologie d'impression 3D. Les ressources financières constituaient le principal obstacle à l'accès à cette technologie (50 %, 18/36). Dans la pratique clinique, les modèles sont surtout utilisés pour planifier les interventions chirurgicales (96 %, 26/27) et le cathétérisme interventionnel (52 %, 14/27). Le ventricule droit à double issue était particulièrement modélisé (70 %, 19/27). CONCLUSION: L'impression 3D est une nouvelle technologie utile pour soigner les enfants présentant une cardiopathie congénitale. L'accès à cette technologie varie selon l'emplacement géographique. En cardiologie-pédiatrie, les modèles 3D sont surtout utilisés pour planifier les interventions relatives à des cardiopathies congénitales complexes sur le plan tridimensionnel.

Utility of 3D printed cardiac models in congenital heart disease: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a novel technology with applications in healthcare, particularly for congenital heart disease (CHD). We sought to explore the spectrum of use of 3D printed CHD models (3D-CM) and identify knowledge gaps within the published body of literature to guide future research. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review targeting published literature on the use of 3D-CMs. The databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched from their inception until 19 July 2019. Inclusion criteria were primary research; studies reporting use of 3D-CMs; and human subjects. Exclusion criteria were studies where 3D-CMs were generated for proof of concept but not used; and studies focused on bioprinting or computational 3D-CMs. Studies were assessed for inclusion and data were extracted from eligible articles in duplicate. RESULTS: The search returned 648 results. Following assessment, 79 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis. The majority (66%) of studies are case reports or series. 15% reported use of a control group. Three main areas of utilisation are for (1) surgical and interventional cardiology procedural planning (n=62), (2) simulation (n=25), and (3) education for medical personnel or patients and their families (n=17). Multiple studies used 3D-CMs for more than one of these areas. CONCLUSIONS: 3DP for CHD is a new technology with an evolving literature base. Most of the published literature are experiential reports as opposed to manuscripts on scientifically robust studies. Our study has identified gaps in the literature and addressed priority areas for future research.