OBJECTIVETo study the postoperative complications and its risk factors in patients underwent breast reconstruction with abdominal flaps.

METHODSThe clinical data of 115 cases underwent breast reconstructions with abdominal flaps from May 2001 to October 2008 was reviewed. The postoperative complications included total flap necrosis, partial flap necrosis, fat necrosis, hernia, bulge, fat liquefaction and infection. The risk factors of complication rates were also evaluated.

RESULTSThe total postoperative complications rate was 17.4% (20/115). No severe complications was found, such as total flap necrosis, hernia and bulge. The most common complications of flap was fat necrosis which occurred in 6 cases (5.2%), partial flap necrosis in 5 cases (4.3%) and infection in 1 case (0.9%). The donor-site complications included fat liquefaction which occurred in 8 cases (7.0%) and infection in 3 cases (2.6%). No significant relation was found between patient's age, body mass index (BMI), timing of surgery and the postoperative complication rate. The postoperative complications occurred more frequently in active smokers, patients with radiotherapy history, or reconstructions with pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps. But no significant difference was found in those factors.

CONCLUSIONSFewer complications happens in patients with a reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap. Abdominal flap should be performed with more consideration in active smokers or patients with a radiotherapy history. Age and obesity should not be contraindications to breast reconstruction with abdominal flaps.