Choice of flaps for breast reconstruction

The optimal method for breast reconstruction should be safe, reliable, and accessible for every patient, and it should display little or no donor-site morbidity. After comparing mammary implants it has been found that autogenous breast reconstruction can create a ptotic, soft, symmetrical breast mound. The transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (TRAM) remains the most popular method for autogenous reconstruction. Modern trends in breast reconstruction using the TRAM flap have promoted adequate blood supply to the flap while minimizing donor-site defects in the anterior abdominal wall. The pedicled TRAM flap remains one of the most frequently used flaps, but the indirect blood supply in this flap has required many modifications and refinements. Such modifications have included the bipedicled TRAM flap, the free TRAM flap, and the supercharged TRAM flap. To avoid donor-site morbidities, the muscle-sparing free TRAM, deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP), and superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap were introduced. The DIEP perforator flap requires meticulous technique but offers proven reliability and a low rate of complications. As surgeons become more comfortable with harvesting DIEP flaps, the frequency of usage seems likely to increase. The latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, gluteus maximus musculocutaneous flap, and others may be selected when these modifications of free TRAM flap are unavailable or unusable.     

The infrahyoid flap: A comprehensive review of an often overlooked reconstructive method

The infrahyoid flap is a myocutaneous pedicled flap mainly nourished by the superior thyroid vessels through the perforators of the infrahyoid muscles. This thin and pliable flap provides a skin island of about 7 by 4 cm from the central part of the anterior neck. The flap can be transferred on its pedicle of superior thyroid artery and vein to reconstruct medium sized head and neck defects created after cancer ablation. We have successfully used this flap in a series of 40 cases with no total flap loss and with 1 case of superficial skin necrosis. The aim of this review is to highlight the clinical usefulness of this pedicled flap even in the microvascular free flap era. A comprehensive review of the available literature reporting on the infrahyoid flap has been carried out using a web search. The history of the infrahyoid flap, the surgical technique with technical innovations, the clinical utility and limitations of this flap, are reported and discussed. Among the 7 larger series (cohort larger than 50 cases) a total of 956 flaps were performed, and the global success rate was 91.7%, with failures being mainly related to partial skin necrosis, as the rate of total (skin and muscle) flap necrosis was only 1%.This flap is reliable, easy to harvest during neck dissection, oncologically safe, it does carry a negligible donor site morbidity. This paper highlights how the infrahyoid flap can represent an excellent reconstructive solution in selected patients and head and neck sites.     

Breast reconstruction: àla carte not table d'hote

NICE guidelines emphasise the need for breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy to be offered all appropriate options for immediate reconstruction. In the majority of hospitals this is not happening. Patients are being offered the reconstruction technique for which their surgeon has been trained and many never meet an oncoplastic surgeon to discuss the wide range of options that are available. This means that many have sub-optimal reconstructions often using implants that may need to be subsequently replaced and are incompatible with post-operative radiotherapy. Patients will be better served by a few high throughput, high quality centres specialising in tailoring the right reconstruction for the woman who needs a mastectomy rather than the present system of having reconstruction of variable quality available ubiquitously.     

外阴癌局部扩大切除联合个体化修复的疗效

目的:对比外阴癌局部扩大切除+个体化外阴缺损修复术与传统外阴广泛切除术的临床疗效,研究外阴癌外科治疗的优化方案。方法:自1997年6月至2012年6月共行外阴癌根治性手术35例,其中25例行标准外阴广泛切除术创面直接缝合（对照组）,10例行外阴癌扩大局部切除+个体化Ⅰ期修复（研究组）。观察对比两组切口愈合、术后外阴外形和功能状态及无复发生存率。结果:研究组皮瓣均完全存活。1例菱形皮瓣出现切口部分哆开,经保守治疗后20天愈合。对照组切口延迟愈合21例,占84%。研究组术后外阴形态和质地、排尿、性生活优于对照组。对照组和研究组的3年无复发生存率分别为66.6%和80.0%,无统计学差异,P=0.476。结论:相对于传统外阴广泛切除,外阴局部扩大切除+个体化修复能降低术后切口延迟愈合率,改善外阴形态和功能,而不降低肿瘤控制率,是值得推荐的外阴癌治疗模式。     

Cosmetic reconstruction after resection of breast cancer: use of the ELD-MC flap and EVRAM flap

Breast reconstruction following the resection of breast cancer with inadequate residual chest-wall tissue may be performed with an implant or a myocutaneous flap, such as the latissimus dorsi or a rectus abdominis. Among a variety of operative procedures, each method has advantages and disadvantages. The insertion of a silicone-bag prosthesis is the easiest method, but the prosthetic implant sometimes has complications, such as unfavorable capsular contracture formation around the implant, rupture, infection, or exposure. We therefore use an extended latissimus dorsi myocutaneous (ELD-MC) flap with some amount of surrounding subcutaneous fat from the lumbar area, and avoid the use of any implant with an MC flap. Also, for the reconstruction and correction of infraclavicular and axillary depression, we use the extended vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous (EVRAM) flap. This method uses the skin and fat on both sides of the umbilicus as a lenticular flap vascularized by only one of the rectus abdominis muscles. The patients are satisfied with the outcome because symmetry and good breast volume can be obtained. There have been no functional or anatomical defects of the donor area. No abdominal hernia after an EVRAM flap has resulted to date. Both the ELD-MC and EVRAM flaps can be successfully used for cosmetic breast reconstruction after the resection of breast cancer.     

带蒂穿支皮瓣在乳房再造术中的应用

与游离穿支皮瓣相比,带蒂穿支皮瓣分离技术更加简单,安全系数更高,而且供区畸形更小。近年来,应用带蒂穿支皮瓣技术已经成为乳房再造手术一种新的选择, 甚至是一些患者的首选方案。常用的带蒂穿支皮瓣有胸背动脉穿支皮瓣、肋间动脉穿支皮瓣(外侧肋间动脉穿支皮瓣、前侧肋间动脉穿支皮瓣)等,其他可用的选择包括前锯肌动脉穿支皮瓣,腹壁上动脉穿支皮瓣,胸外侧动脉穿支皮瓣等。为了提高手术设计的精确性,术前需要评估穿支血管的质量,并对其定位穿支。皮瓣的设计相比游离皮瓣手术而言,显得更加重要。虽然带蒂穿支皮瓣在乳房再造领域的作用尚不能取代游离皮瓣的金标准地位,但随着“损伤最小化”重建概念的日渐推广,带蒂穿支皮瓣将会成为乳房再造领域里的一种新的趋势。     

前臂皮瓣联合腓骨肌瓣修复上颌骨大型缺损

目的 探讨前臂皮瓣联合腓骨肌瓣修复上颌骨大型缺损的效果。方法2004年3月，对1例上颌骨恶性肿瘤的病例，行上颌骨次全切除术，应用前臂皮瓣联合腓骨肌瓣重建上颌骨，关闭口鼻腔。结果术后伤口一期愈合，皮瓣成活，术后3个月随访，面部外形满意，已能够进普食，进食时无食物从鼻腔返流，语音清晰。结论应用前臂皮瓣联合腓骨肌瓣重建上颌骨缺损，使术后患者上颌骨外形和口腔咀嚼功能及语音恢复如初，令人满意，值得推广应用。     

薄型股前外侧皮瓣修复舌癌术后软组织缺损的疗效分析

目的探讨薄型股前外侧皮瓣修复舌癌术后软组织缺损的效果。方法选取90例舌癌术后软组织缺损部软组织缺损患者,根据修复方法的不同分为薄型股前外侧皮瓣、前臂桡侧游离皮瓣、小腿内侧游离皮瓣各30例。皮瓣切取平均面积为(1.2×1.5)cm^2^1.8×2.5cm^2,比较3种手术方式的有效率及舌癌术后软组织缺损修复的满意度。结果 3种手术方式有效率间没有明显差异,无统计学意义(P=0.075);薄型股前外侧皮瓣修复舌癌术后软组织缺损满意度明显优于其他方法,具有统计学意义(P=0.069)。结论对舌癌术后软组织缺损部软组织缺损患者采用不同部位的游离皮瓣修复均取得了良好的修复效果,其中薄型股前外侧皮瓣修复满意度明显高于其他方法,提高患者的康复效果。     

A hollow,custom-made prosthesis combined with a vascularized flap and bone graft for skeletal reconstruction after bone tumour resection

PurposeWhile limb-sparing surgery is now possible for more than 80% of patients with bone tumours, wide resection is often required, necessitating bone reconstruction. This paper aims to present a surgical technique that combines the advantages of a hollow, titanium, custom-made prosthesis and the biological aspects of microsurgical flaps and bone graft.Patients and methodsFrom June 2016 to September 2017 at our institution, six consecutive patients with skeletal tumours underwent one-stage reconstructive surgery with concomitant implantation of a 3D-printed prosthesis.ResultsAt an average follow-up of 30 months (range: 18–45), no early complications were observed, and no implant removals were needed. One patient experienced a delayed haematogenous deep infection, which healed after surgical debridement. Three patients died of their underlying disease 18, 22, and 23 months after surgery, respectively. All flaps and custom reconstructions were successful, with primary osseointegration at a mean of four months (range: 2–7). Patients’ average Musculoskeletal Tumour Society score was 23.2 (range: 18–28).ConclusionA hollow, custom-made, titanium prosthesis filled with bone graft, used in conjunction with a microsurgical flap, may offer good osseointegration in different anatomic locations among a patient population with a high risk of infection, pseudarthrosis, and long-term mechanical complications. The surgical technique's advantages are preliminarily demonstrated. Further studies with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are required to confirm our findings.     

Introducing the subdermal free flap: Preserving the ultrathin–free skin flap option in morbidly obese patients

In the morbidly obese population (BMI > 35), distal extremity defects are difficult to reconstruct. Traditional skin flaps are several centimeters in thickness in obese patients; however, a new plane superficial to the scarpal plane has demonstrated success in these patients. In this report, we present a 62‐year‐old female (BMI = 44.81) with a chronic lower extremity wound. A suprascarpal thin flap (approximately 1 cm in thickness) was harvested from the thigh and transferred successfully with no wound‐healing issues.     

三叶前臂皮瓣在口底癌术后缺损修复重建中的应用

目的探讨改良的三叶前臂皮瓣在口底癌术后缺损修复中的应用价值。方法 2016年6月至2019年12月湖南省肿瘤医院收治的口底癌患者12例, T分期均为T2期, 其中高分化鳞状细胞癌9例, 中分化鳞状细胞癌3例。肿瘤切除及颈部淋巴结清扫术后, 缺损面积为5.0 cm×4.5 cm至8.0 cm×6.0 cm。制备三叶前臂皮瓣修复缺损, 皮瓣大小为4.0 cm×1.5 cm至8.0 cm×2.0 cm。供区Z形直接缝合。结果 12例患者术后皮瓣均成活, 创面Ⅰ期愈合。供区切口均Ⅰ期愈合。平均随访38.6个月, 患者无感觉、功能障碍, 吞咽、语言功能满意。结论三叶前臂皮瓣可有效修复口底癌术后缺损, 同时供区能直接缝合, 避免因植皮造成的第2供区以及植皮后影响前臂功能。     

Expanding the role of breast-conserving therapy using immediate volume replacement

Preventing local recurrence and preserving cosmetic appearance are often in conflict in breast-conserving therapy. Immediate volume replacement with autogenous tissue has been developed to allow a wider excision without compromising the aesthetic results. A review of the literature regarding immediate volume replacement in breast-conserving therapy has led to the following conclusions. When excision of the skin overlying the tumor is unnecessary, a transverse or lateral incision should be used which allows wide excision and immediate volume replacement with autogenous tissue while minimizing scar morbidity. The options for immediate volume replacement include the latissimus dorsi flap with adipose tissue, the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, and the lateral thoracic adipose tissue flap. The choice of technique depends on the amount and position of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and breast tissue which must be excised. These procedures can be used to extend the indications for breastconserving therapy, eliminating the need for mastectomy in selected patients. Future developments in the endoscopic harvesting of flaps may further expand the role of volume replacement.