Navigating breast reconstruction in the shadow of COVID-19: a comparative analysis of patient outcomes and recovery times before and after the pandemic

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the recovery times and outcomes of patients who underwent immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy before and after the pandemic to evaluate how COVID-19-induced changes influenced surgical procedures and patient care. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It included all patients who had cancer and underwent immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy from 2016 to 2022. Patient data, surgical characteristics, and BREAST-Q™️ scores were compared before and after COVID-19 for reconstructive surgeries carried out in combination with an initial breast cancer operation. Results: Compared to patients treated before the pandemic, those who underwent breast reconstruction following COVID-19 experienced shorter hospital stays (median 3.00 days compared to 6.00 days, p < 0.001) and higher levels of breast satisfaction (mean score of 63.8 vs. 57.5, p-value = 0.042). The post-COVID-19 group experienced overall comparable reconstructive success rates (82.1% vs. 76.0%, p = 0.590). Higher rates of reconstruction failure were associated with diabetes and older age. Furthermore, satisfaction scores showed a negative relationship with mastectomy weight but a positive correlation with age and psychological well-being, suggesting that these factors influence post-operative patient experiences. Conclusion: This study indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic-related adjustments have resulted in enhanced outcomes for breast reconstruction, including as shorter hospital stays and improved patient satisfaction. According to these outcomes, some modifications brought on by the pandemic might have inadvertently improved breast reconstructive procedures.