Abstract
Chest wall reconstructions can be challenging procedures especially after large thoracic defects generated by cancer resections. We report a case of an anterior chest wall defect after a recurrent metaplastic carcinoma of the breast 7 years after the mastectomy. A partial sternectomy was carried out in conjunction with resection of the first four right ribs. Chest wall skeletal defects were reconstructed with polypropylene mesh folded in four under tension. Soft tissue reconstruction was performed with an external controlateral dermoglandular flap after a mammoplasty. The 12 × 38 cm flap remained on the external mammary vascularization and was tunneled to cover the defect. After follow-up, the patient remains disease-free with satisfactory quality of life. This new breast flap can expand the therapeutic arsenal to cover such chest wall defects offering, at the same time, a mammoplasty.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Campbell R, Pennefather B (1919) Intramuscular vascular anatomy. Lancet 1:294
Munhoz AM, Montag E, Arruda E et al (2011) Immediate locally advanced breast cancer and chest wall reconstruction: surgical planning and reconstruction strategies with extended v-y latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. 1. Plast Reconstr Surg 127(6):2186–2197
Hughes KC, Henry MJ, Turner J et al (1997) Design of the cyclops flap for chest wall reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg 100:1146–1151
Wysocki WM, Komorowski A, Kolodziejski L (2007) Chest wall defect reconstruction with contralateral breast. J Surg Oncol 95:680–681
Sarfati B, Zwillinger N, Lazar CC et al (2009) Le lambeau mammaire interne: une nouvelle technique de reconstruction. Ann Chir Plast Esthet 54:379–383
Taghizadeh R, Rampaul RS, O’Donoghue JM (2010) Use of the ipsilateral breast in anterolateral chest wall reconstruction. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 63(11):e779–e781
Deschamps C, Tirnaksiz VH, Darbandi R (1999) Early and long term results of prosthetic chest wall reconstruction. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 117:588–592
Belmahi A, Ouezzani S, El Aziz S (2007) Efficacité de l’association Mersilène®—lambeau musculocutané dans la reconstruction des pertes de substance transfixiantes du thorax. Étude rétrospective de 14 cas. Ann Chir Plast Esthet 52(2):96–102
Acknowledgments
I thank the surgery department staff for their support of our plastic surgery activity in the institute.
Conflict of interest
None.
Funding
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kotti, B., Hdiji, A., Hassouna, J.B. et al. The external dermo glandular mammary flap: an alternative technique for chest wall reconstruction. Eur J Plast Surg 35, 823–825 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-012-0700-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-012-0700-8