Breast Implant Infections: Clinical Microbiology, Early Diagnosis, and Antibiotic Treatment.

In the United States, more than 95,000 breast reconstructions were performed in 2013. Of these, tissue expanderand/or implant-based surgical procedures accounted for nearly 79%. Meanwhile, plastic surgery in developing countries, particularly breast esthetic and reconstructive surgery, is drawing more attention. A literature review indicates that up to 2.9% of women receiving esthetic breast augmentation have postsurgical infection, and the rate of surgical site infection with postmastectomy breast reconstruction is usually higher, ranging from 1% to 53%, particularly with expander implants and in developing countries. The most common surgical site infections (SSIs) account for 73% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). SSIs not only increase the length of hospital stay but also increase costs between $10,443 and $25,546 per infection. Postsurgical implant infections, together with concerns such as infections related to artificial joints and heart valves, result in a new disease burden. To assess the threat caused by infections implants to patient safety, we assessed the associated clinical pathology and effects of early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment.