Direct comparison of CGCRYODERM and DermACELL in the same patient for outcomes in bilateral implant-based breast reconstruction: a retrospective case series

Abstract

Background: The use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been popularized in implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR). However, it is still controversial if ADM-associated complication rates differ with varying types of ADM products. The aim of this study was to compare postoperative complications between CGCRYODERM and DermACELL. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 32 patients (64 breasts) who underwent bilateral prosthetic breast reconstruction between June 2015 and December 2019. All patients received two different ADMs in each breast during the surgery. Demographic variables, operative characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were compared between the cryopreserved and pre-hydrated ADM.Results: The overall major and minor postoperative complications developed in 7 and 1 out of 32 patients, respectively. Seroma and infection were the most common complications. There were no cases that infection and/or seroma involved both breasts in one individual. No significant differences were observed in terms of seroma, infection, hematoma, mastectomy flap necrosis, or drainage period between the CGCRYODERM and DermACELL groups (P=0.5637, 0.1797, 1.0000, 0.3173, and 0.2925, respectively). There was no case of reconstruction failure leading to explantation.Conclusions: There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative complications between the two breasts reconstructed with CGCRYODERM and DermACELL in the same patient who underwent bilateral IBR. This is the first study to compare cryopreserved and pre-hydrated ADMs. We suggest that CGCRYODERM is a suitable option with a comparable safety profile for IBR.