Internal Mammary Vessels' Impact on Abdominal Skin Perfusion in Free Abdominal Flap Breast Reconstruction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Wound healing problems at the donor site in free abdominal flap breast reconstruction cause significant morbidity to patients. No studies have investigated what impact the use of the internal mammary artery in free abdominal flap breast reconstruction has on abdominal skin perfusion. We hypothesized that harvesting the internal mammary vessels (IMV) has a negative effect on abdominal skin perfusion.

Methods

The abdomen and anterior thoracic wall of 17 patients scheduled for secondary free abdominal flap breast reconstruction using IMV was pre-, intra-, and postoperatively examined with dynamic infrared thermography. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the rate and pattern of recovery in Huger's vascular zones were made with each patient being its own control.

SUBMITTER: Nergard S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5889442 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature