SynthesisAnnals of plastic surgery2025
Local Antibiotic Delivery Systems for Infection Prophylaxis in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction: What Is the Evidence?
Synthesis in Annals of plastic surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prophylactic Local Antibiotic Therapy in Tissue Expander-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2026Pooled it
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundInfection is a major complication of implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR), leading to implant loss, increased healthcare costs, and poor outcomes. Local antibiotic delivery systems offer targeted infection prevention by providing sustained antibiotic release at the surgical site. The aim of this study is to review the existing literature on the efficacy of local antibiotic delivery systems in preventing infection in IBBR.
methodsA systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted in Medline, Cochrane, and Embase (1990-2025). Studies assessing local antibiotic delivery in IBBR were included, while those evaluating systemic antibiotics, augmentation, and salvage procedures were excluded. Data on infection rates, implant loss, and complications were extracted and analyzed.
resultsOf 163 identified articles, 6 met inclusion criteria. Two studies examined calcium sulfate biodegradable antibiotic beads, which significantly lower implant loss rates (1.6% vs 9.4%, P = 0.031 and 1.5% vs 11.9%, P = 0.024). Two studies on polymethylmethacrylate antibiotic plates showed significant SSI reduction from 12.6% to 4.8% ( P < 0.01) and from 14% to 4% ( P = 0.047), with implant loss rates significantly lower in polymethylmethacrylate cohort (6% vs 18%, P = 0.036). Continuous postoperative antibiotic irrigation studies demonstrated SSI reduction from 6.4% to 1.9% ( P = 0.007) and decreased explant rate from 20% to 2.9% ( P = 0.037), but one study reported a higher seroma rate (4.7% vs 1.4%, P = 0.033).
conclusionsPreliminary studies suggest local antibiotic delivery may reduce infection and implant loss in breast reconstruction, but retrospective designs and methodological limitations preclude definitive conclusions. Prospective studies are needed to confirm efficacy, safety, and clinical value.
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Registered trials
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