Abstract
Acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) are tissue grafts that have been specially processed
to remove all cellular components. These machined biological scaffolds have become
popular in a variety of surgical settings due to their rapid incorporation into living
tissue. As ADMs are highly malleable and cause minimal inflammation, they have come
to serve as a useful tool in implant-based breast reconstruction procedures. The major
benefits of using an ADM in this setting include superior initial breast contouring,
decreased risk of capsular contracture after implant insertion, and consistent sustained
positioning of the reconstructed breast. Despite these advantages, these tissue grafts
are foreign to the host, and postoperative complications following ADM insertion,
including infection and seroma, have been well documented. When considering using
ADMs in this setting, it is important to first consider patient-specific factors that
could preclude their use, such as low body mass index, small breasts, or a history
of radiation exposure to the breast tissue. ADM grafts are also expensive, which may
present another barrier to their use. Review of the literature ultimately suggests
a continued role for ADMs in implant-based breast reconstruction, and continued research
in this field is warranted.
Keywords
acellular dermal matrix - breast reconstruction - implant-based reconstruction
