Acellular Dermal Matrices: The New Standard In Breast Reconstruction

Article preview from Medtech Insight - August, 2012

Recent advances in breast cancer surgical techniques, such as the advent of nipple-sparing mastectomy, along with growing physician acceptance of new biomaterials capable of improving outcomes following implant-based breast reconstruction, are making mastectomy and reconstruction surgery a more attractive treatment option for many breast cancer patients and will help drive strong growth in the US breast reconstruction market in the years ahead.

Acellular Dermal Matrices: The New Standard In Breast Reconstruction

Article preview from Medtech Insight - August, 2012

 Roughly 250,000 American women undergo mastectomies each year following a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer, but only about one-third of eligible patients undergo reconstruction to restore breast shape, appearance, and size. However, recent trends suggest this situation is changing. Advances in breast reconstruction techniques and the introduction of new device and biomaterials technologies have made reconstruction following mastectomy a more cosmetically appealing procedure. This change, coupled with an ongoing, patient-driven shift away from breast-conserving surgery and back toward mastectomy, should drive strong growth in the US breast reconstruction market in the years ahead.

In addition, the US reimbursement picture is also improving. Since 1998, health plans that offer breast cancer coverage have been required to cover reconstruction and prostheses; however, published research shows that only 30% of women are fully informed of their care options, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Efforts are ongoing to increase awareness and reconstruction procedure volumes. Several states have enacted laws requiring patient education, and the Breast Cancer Patient Education Act (HR 5937), introduced on June 8th in the House of Representatives, would require the Department of Health and Human Services to plan and implement an education campaign aimed at informing mastectomy patients of reconstruction and prostheses availability and coverage.

Surgical advances driving breast reconstruction include the relatively recent advent of nipple-sparing mastectomy, which according to Peter D. Beitsch, MD, director of the Dallas Breast Center and chief physician of the Dallas Surgical Group, Medical City Dallas Hospital, is increasingly being offered to breast cancer patients with early-stage disease. (See sidebar, “The Future Of Breast Cancer Therapy: An Interview With Peter D. Beitsch, MD, FACS.”) Such advances have significantly raised the bar in terms of cosmesis following breast reconstruction and are driving demand for adjunctive technologies that can further improve outcomes.

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Medtech Insight  newsletter provides insights into the technology and market developments (devices, instrumentation, biomaterials, gene therapy, tissue engineering, etc) impacting a wide range of  surgical and non-surgical clinical practices.