[Clinical application of transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap reserving partial anterior sheath (TRAM-RPAS) in the one-stage breast reconstruction for patients with breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical application of TRAM-RPAS flap in the one-stage breast reconstruction for patients with breast cancer, and to discuss the method to reduce the incidence of abdominal hernia and abdominal bulging. METHODS: From 2002 to 2004, 16 cases of breast cancer (9 cases in stage I or II and 7 in stage III) received radical resection and breast reconstruction with TRAM-RPAS flaps at the same stage. RESULTS: Good symmetry was achieved in 12 cases. In the other 4 cases, 3 cases had moderate breast poptosis and one case had breast hypoplasia on the unaffected side. All the flaps survived with only one case of abdominal bulging. CONCLUSIONS: TRAM-RPAS flap can achieve the same result as traditional TRAM-RPAS flap in the one-stage breast reconstruction, while the incidence of abdominal complication is lower for TRAM-RPAS flap.