Abstract
Reconstructive breast surgery after bilateral prophylactic mastectomy in patients who carry a mutation of the breast cancer (BRCA) gene has been increasing. Undergoing risk-reducing breast surgery can be of great benefit to young patients who have a high risk of developing breast cancer. There is little available evidence about the rate of complications in these patients and which factors are related to increased complications. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of complications in BRCA gene mutation carriers who underwent reconstructive breast surgery. A single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted that included all patients with a mutation of the BRCA gene who underwent a breast reconstructive procedure, either immediate or delayed, between January 2013 and March 2019 and received a minimum of 6 months' follow-up. The results of our study showed that smoking is the most important modifiable risk factor associated with an increased complication rate for reconstructive breast surgery in patients with BRCA gene mutation. Smoking cessation will reduce the patient's risk for postoperative complications by 50%; therefore, it should be encouraged in all surgical patients and enforced in patients undergoing prophylactic procedures.