Back to 2026 Abstracts
Support or Setback? Surgical Site Infection Risk with Mesh in Breast Reduction and Mastopexy
Manuela Neira Castro
*1, Valeria Bustos
3, Maria J. Escobar
2, Agustin N. Posso
1, Charlotte Thomas
1, Bernard T. Lee
11Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brookline, MA; 2Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; 3Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL
Background:To mitigate recurrent ptosis, mesh has been proposed in breast reduction and mastopexy as a means of providing additional internal structural support. However, as an implanted foreign body, mesh might increase the risk of infection, and its impact on short-term postoperative complications remains poorly defined. This study aimed to evaluate whether mesh placement during breast reduction or mastopexy is associated with increased postoperative surgical site infection.
Methods:The TriNetX Global Collaborative Network was queried for adult patients undergoing breast reduction or mastopexy with and without concurrent mesh placement. Patients undergoing concomitant breast augmentation were excluded. One-to-one propensity score matching was performed to balance demographics, race/ethnicity, BMI, comorbidities, and medication use. The primary outcome within 90 days was surgical site infection (SSI), and secondary outcomes were wound dehiscence, emergency department (ED) visits, antibiotic use, and debridement procedures.
Results: After 1:1 propensity score matching, 1,191 patients were included in each cohort. At 90 days after surgery, mesh use was associated with significantly higher rates of SSI (5.0% vs 1.3%; RR 3.75, 95% CI 2.17-6.47; p<0.001), wound dehiscence (3.4% vs 2.0%; RR 1.67; p=0.043), ED visits (10.2% vs 5.8%; RR 1.75; p<0.001), antibiotic use (18.2% vs 7.7%; RR 2.36; p<0.001), and debridement procedures (4.2% vs 1.0%; RR 4.17; p<0.001).
Conclusion:This study's findings suggest that Mesh placement during breast reduction or mastopexy is associated with significantly increased 90-day postoperative complications, including nearly fourfold higher infection and debridement rates. These findings raise concern regarding mesh use, underscore the need for careful patient selection and highlight the necessity of further prospective studies to better define its risk-benefit profile.
Back to 2026 Abstracts
