An Investigational Surgical Procedure (Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer) in Reducing the Risk of Lymphedema in Patients With Breast Cancer Undergoing Breast Reconstruction

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. Determine incidence of patients who develop lymphedema following autologous breast reconstruction. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the overall complications of prophylactic vascularized lymph node transfers. II. Compare the incidence of patients who develop lymphedema following autologous breast reconstruction among patients who had prophylactic lymph node transfer and a historical cohort who did not have prophylactic lymph node transfer. OUTLINE: Patients undergo vascularized lymph node transfer during standard of care breast reconstructive surgery. After completion of study, patients are followed up for 3 weeks, at 3 and 6 months, and then at 1 and 2 years.