Recipient vessels for D.I.E.P flap in breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Pham Thi Viet Dung, Phan Tuan Nghia

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Abstract

The purpose of this artical is to share experiences of using the thoracodorsal vessels and internal mammary vessels as recipient vessels in immediate breast reconstruction, after total mastectomy for cancer using the Deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (D.I.E.P). 29 patients were diagnosed with stage I, II breast cancer, underwent total mastectomy and immediate reconstruction using D.I.E.P. The received vessel was selected as the internal thoracic or thoracodorsal vessels based on the selected ipsilateral or contralateral perforation branch of the pedicle. There were 12/29 (34.5%) cases using the internal mammary vessel, 19/29 (65.5%) using the thoracodorsal vessels. The mean operative time of the group using the internal vessels was 398 ± 67.13 minutes, the mean operative time of the group using the thoracodorsal vessels was 314.74 ± 48.46 minutes (p = 0.04).There are 27/29 flaps survival, 2/29 cases (6.9%, of which 1 case using the internal mammary vessel, 1 case using the thoracodorsal vessels)  with total necrosis. There was no difference in complications as well as satisfaction with breast shape in the two groups. The advantages and disadvantages of each vascular vessels are discussed by the author. The author recommends selecting the receiver vessels according to the location of the perforator branch.

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References

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