Seasonal Impact on Wound Healing and Surgical Site Infections after Reduction Mammoplasty

Background: The incidence of reduction mammoplasty has been steadily increasing over
recent decades. Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a common yet preventable complication across
surgical disciplines. Studies across various surgical specialties have indicated a seasonal influence on
SSIs, primarily correlated with higher temperatures and humidity. However, there remains a scarcity
of clear data regarding the seasonal effects on complications specifically in breast surgery. Methods:
We conducted a retrospective review encompassing all patients who underwent primary bilateral
reduction mammoplasties at our institution between 1 June 2016, and 1 September 2019. The data
collected included patient demographics, surgical details, and postoperative complications. The rates
of SSIs and wound healing disturbances (WHDs) were correlated with local meteorological data at
the time of surgery. Results: A total of 808 patients (1616 breasts) met the inclusion criteria. The mean
age was 41 ± 14.8 years, with a mean BMI of 28.9 ± 5.2 kg/m2 and a mean follow-up duration of
8.9 ± 9.8 months. Nineteen cases (2.35%) of surgical site infections and 77 cases (9.52%) of wound
healing disturbances were reported. No statistically significant increase in the risk of SSIs (p = 0.928)
or WHDs (p = 0.078) was observed during the warmer months of the year. Although no specific
risk factors were identified for surgical site infections, both resection weight (p < 0.001) and diabetes
mellitus (p = 0.001) demonstrated increased risks for wound healing disturbances. Conclusions:
While seasonal temperature variations have been shown to impact SSIs and WHDs in body contouring
procedures, our findings suggest that breast reduction surgery may not be similarly affected