Immediate versus delayed autologous breast reconstruction: A retrospective matched cohort study of irradiated patients.

Background: The impact of radiotherapy on breast reconstructions is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term effects of radiation therapy in relation to timing of autologous breast reconstruction.

Methods: A total of 1247 patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction at the University Hospitals of Leuven between August 1997 and October 2013 were subjected to a retrospective matched cohort study.