Strategy may predict infection risk after breast reconstruction

Metabolites in tissue fluid offer important clues that could help predict infection risk among women who undergo breast reconstruction after cancer.
Metabolites — small molecules created or broken down during cellular processes such as energy production or cell signaling — include specialized small molecules produced by bacterial pathogens.
Analyses of metabolite patterns among women who underwent breast implant reconstruction revealed markers suggestive of infections days or weeks before symptom onset.
“This could create an opportunity for early recognition and intervention,” Jeffrey P.