Restoring Breast Volume in High BMI Patients: A Single-Center Review of Breast Reconstruction Using Hyperinflated Saline Implants.

Background: Breast reconstruction in the obese patient is often fraught with poor patient satisfaction due to inadequate volume restoration. The off-label hyperinflation of saline implants is a direct yet controversial solution to this problem, with limited studies in the literature. This study sought to determine the safety and efficacy of this technique for breast reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 who underwent breast reconstruction between the years 2013 to 2020 with saline implants filled beyond the manufacturer's maximum recommended volume. Results: The 21 patients identified had an average age of 49 years. The mean BMI was 39.5 kg/m2. A total of 42 implants were placed; 34 were 800 mL, 4 were 750 mL, and 4 were 700 mL. The average overfill volume was 302 mL (138%). Mean follow-up was 65.0 months. Of these, 1 (4.8%) patient with a history of chest wall radiotherapy underwent reoperation for unilateral implant exposure 27 days after the index procedure, no patient sustained spontaneous leak or rupture, and 1 patient had unilateral deflation following emergent central line and pacemaker placement 2 years after the implant was placed for an unrelated cardiovascular event. Conclusions: Hyperinflation of saline implants beyond the maximum recommended volume may be considered for volume replacement in obese patients undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction. This practice is well tolerated, has a complication rate comparable to using implants filled to the recommended volume, and has the potential to restore lost breast volume in the obese patient post mastectomy.

Wnt5a Regulates the Assembly of Human Adipose Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction-Derived Microvasculatures.

Human adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (hSVF) cells are an easily accessible, heterogeneous cell system that can spontaneously self-assemble into functional microvasculatures in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying vascular self-assembly and maturation are poorly understood, therefore we utilized an in vitro model to identify potential in vivo regulatory mechanisms. We utilized passage one (P1) hSVF because of the rapid UEA1+ endothelium (EC) loss at even P2 culture. We exposed hSVF cells to a battery of angiogenesis inhibitors and found that the pan-Wnt inhibitor IWP2 produced the most significant hSVF-EC networking decrease (~25%). To determine which Wnt isoform(s) and receptor(s) may be involved, hSVF was screened by PCR for isoforms associated with angiogenesis, with only WNT5A and its receptor, FZD4, being expressed for all time points observed. Immunocytochemistry confirmed Wnt5a protein expression by hSVF. To see if Wnt5a alone could restore IWP2-induced EC network inhibition, recombinant human Wnt5a (0-150 ng/ml) was added to IWP2-treated cultures. The addition of rhWnt5a significantly increased EC network area and significantly decreased the ratio of total EC network length to EC network area compared to untreated controls. To determine if Wnt5a mediates in vivo microvascular self-assembly, 3D hSVF constructs containing an IgG isotype control, anti-Wnt5a neutralizing antibody or rhWnt5a were implanted subcutaneously for 2w in immune compromised mice. Compared to IgG controls, anti-Wnt5a treatment significantly reduced vessel length density by ~41%, while rhWnt5a significantly increased vessel length density by ~62%. However, anti-Wnt5a or rhWnt5a did not significantly affect the density of segments and nodes, both of which measure vascular complexity. Taken together, this data demonstrates that endogenous Wnt5a produced by hSVF plays a regulatory role in microvascular self-assembly in vivo. These findings also suggest that manipulating Wnt signaling could enhance control of hSVF vascularization in tissue engineering applications.

Patient selection.

Patient selection is the process by which an evaluating surgeon decides whether to accept responsibility for the care and treatment of a potential patient. It is assumed the physician has the requisite knowledge to assess the anatomic disorder and the technical ability to render appropriate care if needed. The aim of this article is to help the less experienced health care professional sort out which patients, either by true psychological disorder or personality and behavioral traits, pose the highest risk of a poor outcome. An unsatisfactory outcome can be measured not only by failure to resolve the disorder but also by expenditure of a disproportionate amount of practice resources in achieving resolution of the problem.