Systematic review of effects of pregnancy on breast and abdominal contour after TRAM/DIEP breast reconstruction in breast cancer survivors

Transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) and its derivatives are the most commonly performed autologous breast reconstruction procedures. These procedures were not recommended in the past for those who planned for subsequent childbearing because of the transposition of portions of the abdominal wall during the procedure into the anatomic position of the breast, implying possible adverse effects over the contour of these manipulated areas during pregnancy and delivery. We conducted a systematic review to assess the literature on esthetic or functional consequences of childbearing over the breast and abdomen after these procedures in patients that were affected by breast cancer. A comprehensive literature search in databases and citation indexes was conducted from February 2014 to April 2015. Any paper on pregnancy after breast reconstruction by TRAM or its derivatives and modifications, written in English or French, were included. The search results underwent a first screening to exclude duplicate and irrelevant papers. Full texts were then reviewed as to the criteria for inclusion, and data were extracted into data extraction forms from eligible papers. The initial search yielded 5132 articles. After screening and review, overall 17 papers met all criteria for inclusion in this review. Our work revealed that uneventful pregnancy and delivery can be anticipated in breast cancer survivors who had undergone breast reconstruction via TRAM or its derivatives with minor negative effects on either the breast or the abdomen.