Abstract
Some recurrences of breast cancer require wide chest wall resection as curative or palliative therapy. We report a retrospective review of 14 chest wall resections and reconstructions. The width of the anterior chest wall excision was 150 cm 2 (80 to 360 cm 2). Two defects were full-thickness ones, with sternal or costal resection. The reconstruction required synthetic mesh covered by a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap. The 12 other resections were superficial ones, and have been covered by a skin graft in 5 patients, and by a regional flap in 7 patients (5 latissimus dorsi, 1 DIEP, and 1 bilobed flap). Two patients had a chest wall irradiation after the surgical procedure. We have analysed the factors, which had influenced our choice of the type of reconstruction. The reconstruction is performed by a regional flap, most commonly a latissimus dorsi pedicled flap, in case of full-thickness defect, of nodular isolated recurrence, or when a radiation therapy is provided after the surgical procedure. The coverage is made by a skin graft in case of palliative excision, or of multiple nodular chest wall recurrence (which have a high risk of recurrence in the same form).
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
