Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41661259›Full record

ArticleAesthetic plastic surgery2026

Nationwide Analysis of Post-traumatic Breast Implant Complications: Predictors of Immediate vs Delayed Diagnosis and Management.

Jade E Smith, Noelle C Garbaccio, Dorien I Schonebaum, Lacey Foster, Morvarid Mehdizadeh, Justin J Cordero, Jose Foppiani, Henry Marsh, Umar Choudry, Samuel J Lin

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Aesthetic plastic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jade E Smith *Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Noelle C Garbaccio *Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Dorien I SchonebaumDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Lacey FosterDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Morvarid MehdizadehDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Justin J CorderoDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Jose FoppianiDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Henry MarshDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Umar ChoudryDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Samuel J LinDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 110 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. sjlin@bidmc.harvard.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPost-traumatic breast implant and tissue expander (TE) complications are increasingly relevant as more patients undergo reconstructive or cosmetic breast surgery. Prior studies are limited to case reports, with little known about the mechanisms of injury or timing of clinical recognition.

methodsUsing the Nationwide Readmission Database (2017-2020), we identified adults with trauma admissions followed by breast implant-related diagnoses or procedures. Mechanisms of injury (MOI) and clinical presentations were characterized using ICD-10 codes. Patients were classified as having received "immediate" management (diagnosis or procedure during index admission) or "delayed" (on readmission). Cox regression identified predictors of earlier diagnosis or intervention.

resultsA total of 573 patients with post-traumatic implant complications were included (488 breast implants, 85 TEs). Falls were the most common MOI (53.2%), followed by transport accidents (25.0%). TEs were disproportionately associated with burn injuries (20.5% vs. 4.9% in non-TEs). At presentation, 78.2% of patients were diagnosed with implant rupture or underwent surgical correction. Rib or clavicle fractures (21.1%) and breast symptoms (12.6%) were associated with earlier diagnosis, but not with likelihood of surgery. Plastic surgery consultation significantly decreased time to surgery. Age, sex, and ZIP code did not have notable effects on diagnostic and surgical timing.

conclusionsPost-traumatic breast implant complications often present without breast-specific symptoms, resulting in diagnostic delays. Trauma protocols should include routine breast imaging in patients with implants, especially after transport, burn, or blunt-force injuries. TE patients may be uniquely susceptible to thermal injury and warrant focused preventive counseling. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Indexed as

Breast ImplantationBreast ImplantsDelayed DiagnosisPostoperative ComplicationsAdultAgedCohort StudiesDatabases, FactualFemaleHumansMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesRisk AssessmentTime FactorsUnited StatesBreast implantsDiagnostic delayExplantationImplant ruptureTrauma

Identifiers

PMID41661259

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.