Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The worldwide obesity epidemic is creating new challenges for surgeons involved in breast reconstruction. This systematic review aims to summarise the research available in order to determine the surgical and medical complications, the duration of surgery and post-operative hospital stay and the likelihood of reoperation in each of the different techniques of breast reconstruction in women with obesity. To our knowledge, no systematic review is currently available that assesses the impact of obesity on breast reconstruction outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Electronic searches will be conducted on Cochrane, PUBMED and EMBASE, from their inception to 1 June 2016. All cohort studies, case series, randomised controlled trials, and case-control studies on women undergoing breast reconstruction post mastectomy for oncological reasons will be included. Articles must mention at least one of the primary outcomes of interest. Full exclusion and inclusion criteria are described within this protocol. Primary and secondary outcomes are described within this protocol. The search strategy, described within this protocol, aims to identify all articles on "obesity and breast reconstruction." DISCUSSION: This paper outlines the study protocol for a systematic literature review that will identify and summarise currently available evidence on the effectiveness and complications of breast reconstructive procedures in women with a BMI >30 kg/m(2). This review aims to provide an overview of the evidence in order to create a guide for healthcare professionals involved in the breast reconstruction of obese women. DISSEMINATION: This review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be presented at various national and international conferences.