Effect and safety of remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap transplantation for breast reconstruction
10.3760/cma.j.cn114657-20240422-00059
- VernacularTitle:补救性带蒂腹直肌皮瓣移植再造乳房的效果及安全性
- Author:
Xulong ZHU
1
;
Yanqing LIU
;
Dajiang SONG
;
Zan LI
;
Zhiyuan WANG
;
Xu LIU
;
Jianhui LI
Author Information
1. 陕西省人民医院肿瘤外科，西安 710068
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Breast Neoplasms;
Pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap;
Breast reconstruction
- From:
Chinese Journal of Medical Aesthetics and Cosmetology
2025;31(2):104-109
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap transplantation for breast reconstruction.Methods:This retrospective study included 23 female breast cancer patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction with a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap at Hunan Cancer Hospital from June 2022 to June 2023. The patients' ages ranged from 24 to 56 years, with a mean age of (43.2±1.3) years. All patients had previously undergone mastectomy and tumor resection before receiving the remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Follow-up was conducted through outpatient visits and telephone interviews, with a median follow-up period of 10 (6-15) months. Observation indicators included survival rate of flaps, patient satisfaction rate and aesthetic outcomes. Adverse reactions including but not limited to flap contracture and deformation, during and following the surgical procedure were also recorded.Results:The remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique was utilized for autologous breast reconstruction in 23 patients. Specifically, this approach was chosen due to two primary reasons: the perforator distance from the vascular pedicle being excessively long in 18 cases, and suboptimal characteristics of the main pedicle in 5 cases. Two types of flap configurations were employed. For 15 patients, a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap was used, with an average flap size of (21.5±0.8) cm in length and (11.2±1.3) cm in width. All flaps demonstrated adequate blood supply without the need for additional vascular anastomosis. For the remaining 8 patients, a combination of a unilateral remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and a contralateral free lower abdominal flap was utilized, resulting in an average flap size of (29.3±0.7) cm in length and (12.0±1.8) cm in width. In these cases, the inferior epigastric vessels of the free lower abdominal flap were successfully anastomosed to the internal thoracic vessels of the recipient site, ensuring all flaps survived postoperatively. The survival rate of flaps in 23 patients was 100% (23/23), and the patient satisfaction rate was 100% (23/23). Postoperative evaluation revealed that the reconstructed breasts exhibited satisfactory shape and texture, with no instances of flap contracture or deformation. The reconstructed breasts were largely symmetrical with the contralateral side, leaving only linear scars at the donor and recipient sites. Importantly, there was no significant impact on abdominal wall function, and no adverse reactions such as flap contracture or impaired abdominal wall function were observed in any of the patients.Conclusion:When the characteristics of the perforating vessels in the lower abdomen are suboptimal, the use of a remedial pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap technique for breast reconstruction can ensure satisfactory outcomes and significantly enhance surgical safety.
