Local Antibiotics for Breast Implants (BREAST-AB)

September 24, 2026 updated by: Mikkel Herly

Prophylactic Treatment of Breast Implants With a Solution of Gentamicin, Vancomycin and Cefazolin Antibiotics for Women Undergoing Breast Reconstructive Surgery: a Randomized Controlled Trial (The BREAST-AB Trial)

The BREAST-AB Trial is a multi-center, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the efficacy of local application of gentamicin, vancomycin and cefazolin in decreasing all-cause implant explantation after breast reconstruction.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The BREAST-AB Trial will include women undergoing breast reconstruction with implants. The objective is to determine the efficacy of local antibiotics in decreasing all-cause implant explantation. Participants will be randomized to local application of placebo or gentamicin, vancomycin and cefazolin in a saline solution onto the implant and the dissected breast pocket. All patients undergoing unilateral breast reconstruction will be randomized to the trial drug or placebo in a ratio of 1:1. All patients undergoing bilateral reconstruction will be randomized to the trial treatment on one of their breasts and placebo to the contralateral breast. A total number of 1274 of breasts undergoing breast reconstruction will be included in the trial.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1003

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Denmark
      • Aalborg, Denmark, 9000
        • Aalborg University Hospital
      • Aarhus, Denmark, 8000
        • Aarhus University Hospital
      • Copenhagen, Denmark, 2100
        • Rigshospitalet
      • Esbjerg, Denmark, 6700
        • South-West Jutland Hospital
      • Herlev, Denmark, 2730
        • Herlev and Gentofte Hospital
      • Odense, Denmark, 5000
        • Odense University Hospital
      • Roskilde, Denmark, 4000
        • Zealand University Hospital
      • Vejle, Denmark, 7100
        • Vejle Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 18 years

  • Biologically female

  • Signed informed consent

  • Scheduled for breast reconstruction with implants or expanders including:

    1. Immediate or delayed reconstructions
    2. Bilateral or unilateral reconstructions
    3. With or without simultaneous flap reconstruction

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy
  • Breast feeding
  • Known allergy towards Vancomycin, Gentamicin and Cefazolin
  • Known anaphylactic reaction towards other beta-lactam antibiotics or aminoglycosides
  • Known allergy towards neomycin
  • Known impaired renal function with GFR < 60 mL/min
  • Participation in investigational drug trials and projects concerning disinfecting agents in the breast implant cavity
  • Myasthenia Gravis

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Irrigation of implants with sterile isotonic saline

The placebo solution will consist of 500 mL of sterile isotonic (9%) saline contained in a infusion bag.
Other: Placebo

500 mL of sterile isotonic (9%) saline. The solution will be used to wash the dissected implant pocket and the implant prior to insertion in the implant pocket.

Other Names:
  • Natriumklorid Fresenius Kabi 9 mg-ml
Experimental: Irrigation of implants with a triple antibiotic solution

The antibiotic solution will contain 1000 mg vancomycin, 80 mg gentamicin and 1000 mg cefazolin in 500 mL sterile isotonic (9%) saline
Drug: Gentamicin, Cefazolin and Vancomycin

The antibiotic solution will contain 1000 mg vancomycin, 80 mg gentamicin and 1000 mg cefazolin in a 500 mL isotonic saline solution. The solution will be used to wash the dissected implant pocket and the implant prior to insertion in the implant pocket.

Other Names:
  • Hexamycin, Cefazolin "MIP" and Bactocin

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
All-cause explantation of the breast implant after the breast reconstruction surgery
Time Frame: 180 days

All-cause explantation will be defined as explantation and discarding of the implant. Replacement of an expander with a permanent implant and replacement of a permanent breast implant with a new permanent breast implant due to cosmetic revisions such as asymmetry, implant malposition, change of size or implant rotation will not be counted as an explantation.
180 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to explantation (days)
Time Frame: 180 days

Time to explantation will be defined as the amount of days between the breast reconstruction and the implant explantation surgery.
180 days
Revision surgery with incision of the fibrous capsule after the breast reconstruction surgery (Y/N)
Time Frame: 180 days

The breast reconstruction surgery will be defined as the surgery where they received the allocated treatment
180 days
Exchange of permanent implant to expander implant after the breast reconstruction surgery (Y/N)
Time Frame: 180 days

The breast reconstruction surgery will be defined as the surgery where they received the allocated treatment
180 days
Surgical site infection that leads to antibiotic treatment after the breast reconstruction surgery
Time Frame: 180 days

Surgical site infection will be defined according to the CDC classification of surgical site infetion leading to antibiotic treatment with oral or intravenous antibiotics administered after the surgery.
180 days
All-cause explantation of the breast implant within 1 year after the breast reconstruction surgery
Time Frame: 1 year

All-cause explantation will be defined as explantation and discarding of the implant. Replacement of an expander with a permanent implant and replacement of a permanent breast implant with a new permanent breast implant due to cosmetic revisions such as asymmetry, implant malposition, change of size or implant rotation will not be counted as an explantation.
1 year

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time from the breast reconstruction surgery to discharge (days)
Time Frame: 180 days

Time to discharge will be defined as the amount of days between the breast reconstruction and the day of discharge.
180 days
Re-admission after the breast reconstruction surgery (Y/N)
Time Frame: 180 days

The breast reconstruction surgery will be defined as the surgery where the patient received the allocated treatment.
180 days
Long term follow-up after 5, 10 and 15 years
Time Frame: 15 years

Capsular contracture and the Baker classification grade will be obtained from the National Patient Registry and the patients' medical journals after 5, 10 and 15 years. The BREAST-Q questionnaire will be used to assess patient-reported outcomes. The patients will be contacted and asked to fill out the questionnaire with 5 year-intervals after the surgery.
15 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Mikkel Herly

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Odense University Hospital
Zealand University Hospital
Aarhus University Hospital
University of Copenhagen
Vejle Hospital
Aalborg University Hospital
Herlev and Gentofte Hospital
Esbjerg Hospital - University Hospital of Southern Denmark

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mikkel Herly, MD, Ph.D., Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns Treatment

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 27, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 26, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 26, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 29, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • BREAST-AB-01
  • 2020-002459-40 (EudraCT Number)
  • 0058322 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Novo Nordisk Foundation)
  • R-189- A4127 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Medicine Fund of the Danish Regions)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The protocol including the statistical analysis plan is published in BMJ Open (doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058697) prior to unblinding. The main article will include the primary and secondary outcomes. The tertiary and long-term outcomes will be included in subsequent articles. The manuscripts will be submitted to peer-reviewed international journals and both positive, negative and inconclusive results will be published. The findings of the trial will be shared with participating sites and presented at national and international conferences. The results will be disseminated to the public but will not be shared directly with participating patients.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

After the end of the trial, the data will become available (Anticipated july 2025)

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Researchers and other relevant parties can be granted access to selected anonymized data after publication upon request to the principal-sponsor investigator

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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