Breast Reconstruction using the Anterior Approach Scarless Latissimus Dorsi Muscular flap: A Single Center Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Scarless latissimus dorsi (LD) flap is a breast reconstruction technique, which allow to cover the lower pole of implant with a large portion of the LD muscle without skin paddle; it represents a surgical solution that transpose vascularized tissue avoiding the failure of breast reconstruction, following necrosis of mastectomy skin flaps. Material and Method: A retrospective review of patients undergoing immediate or delayed breast reconstruction using scarless LD flap reconstructions was performed. Clinical data obtained from follow-up visits were recorded. To evaluate breast shape contentment and patient satisfaction, the patients were requested to answer the Breast-Q, version 2.0 reduction module postoperative scales questionnaire at the 12-month follow-up. Results: We performed 19 scarless LD flap reconstructions between September 2019 and June 2022. The surgical time in average (considering minutes ± SD) was 130 (±15) minutes. The aesthetic assessment was good/excellent in 83% of patients. This was statistically significant (P=0.0). Conclusions: The scarless LD flap reconstruction is a valid and reliable solution, which has the advantage to reduce the risk of exposed prosthesis if native skin necrosis occurs.

The use of the internal pudendal artery perforator flap after abdominoperineal reconstruction: A single center study.

Abdominoperineal resection (APR) is still a valuable option in the presence of cancer recurrences or salvage surgery. Primary perineal closure after conventional APR curries a high rate of wound complications. A multidisciplinary approach with perineal soft tissue reconstruction surgical time improves the immediate and long-term prognosis of these patients. The aim of the study is to report our experience with the use of the internal pudendal artery perforator flap in perineal region reconstruction after APR. We performed 11 perineal region reconstructions after conventional APR between September 2016 and December 2020. In 8 cases the reconstruction was performed on previously irradiated tissues while in 2 cases the radiotherapy was carried out on the perineal tissues solely for adjuvant therapy. A rotation perforating flap was harvested in 8 cases, an advance island flap in 2 cases, and a propeller type in one case. All 11 flaps survived with no immediate postoperative major complications. Only one case showed dehiscence of the donor site wound healed with conservative treatment. Average hospitalization time was 11 days internal pudendal artery perforator flap represents a valid and reliable reconstructive solution after APR showing low complication rates and minimal donor site morbidity even in patients with previous radiotherapy.

Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Definitive Results with a Long-Term Follow-Up Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is increasingly used for women with breast cancer who are not candidates for conservative surgery. The authors previously reported satisfying results with NSM after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS: From 2010 to 2020, 1072 women underwent mastectomy at the authors' institution. In this group, 433 NSMs were performed (40%). The only contraindications to NSM were close proximity to the nipple-areola complex (NAC), bloody discharge, and Paget disease. RESULTS: In 112 cases involving 111 women, NSM followed NACT (group 1), whereas it was performed as primary surgery in 321 instances involving 306 women (group 2). At 5 years, local relapse was 7% in group 1 and 2% in group 2, although in the multivariate analysis, locoregional relapses (LRRs) did not differ between the two groups. An increased incidence of local relapse was associated with higher tumor stage (stage III; p = 0.046) and age younger than 51 years (p = 0.038). For 34 (30.3%) of the 111 women in group 1 with a pathologic complete response (pCR), no LRRs were recorded. Only one NAC recurrence was observed. Overall survival with each tumor stage did not differ between the two groups. No differences in complications were observed. Cosmetic results were satisfying in 83.8% of the cases and did not get worse after NACT. CONCLUSIONS: The study data definitively confirm that NSM is safe even after NACT, with good cosmetic results and complications comparable with those in the primary surgery setting. Tumor stage and age were the only independent factors for local relapse. Patients with pCR enjoyed optimal locoregional control.

Surgical Delay of Nipple Areola Complex: A Powerful Technique to Extend the Indication of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Surgical delay (SD) techniques, performed before the nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM), are procedures conceived to improve the blood supply to the nipple-areola complex (NAC) in order to overcome the ischemic risk. The aim of the study is reporting our experience with SD of the NAC in the setting of NSM, identify the rate of nipple and skin necrosis and other complications and to evaluate patient satisfaction with cosmetic outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of female patients, who underwent NSM and breast reconstruction between the July 2014 and the July 2019, was performed at the Breast Unit of San Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital in Rome. Eighty-nine NSM after SD procedure were performed in 66 patients. In all cases immediate breast reconstruction was performed with a direct to implant technique and polyurethane implants in prepectoral plan were used in all reconstructions. RESULTS: We registered only 1 case of total NAC necrosis and 3 skin flap necrosis. Furthermore, patient satisfaction with breast reconstruction resulted excellent or good in 23 cases and good in 36 cases; the external plastic surgeon considered the breast reconstruction excellent or good in 63 cases. CONCLUSION: We support the thesis that SD techniques may expand indications for NAC sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction in women with known risk factors for local complications. Microabstract This is the largest single center series on surgical delay of nipple areola complex providing interesting data on follow-up and complication rates and we support the thesis that surgical delay techniques may expand indications for nipple-areola complex sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction in women with known risk factors for local complications.

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the mandible deriving from odontogenic cyst: A case report and review of the literature.

Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma (MEC) it can origin from a mandibular odontogenic cyst. We report the case of a 63-year-old man with MEC of the right retromolar trigonum of the mandibula. We performed a wide mandibular excision and immediate reconstruction with a fibula bone free flap.

Reconstruction of hypopharyngeal defects with anterolateral thigh free flap: A single-center retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Reconstruction of expanded hypopharyngeal defects following laryngo-hypopharyngectomy for surgical treatment of primary is still a challenge for head and neck surgeons. Tradiotionally, jejunal or radial forearm flaps are the common reconstructive choice. Recently, the anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap has served for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction. The goal of this work is to describe a retrospective analysis about a five-year single-center experience in the reconstruction of post-operative hypopharyngeal defects with ALT free flap. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was performed, including patients treated for patients who underwent tumor surgery involving hypopharynx with ALT free flap reconstruction from 2015 to 2020. Exclusion criteria were paediatric (0-18 years) patients, and the absence of follow-up. RESULTS: The study included 23 adult patients. The mean size of the flap was 90 cm2 (range 60-130 cm2). The mean time required to harvest the antero-lateral tight flap was 70 min (range 35-120 min). The median age was 46.3 years (SD 15.81, range: 19-84 years), with a gender female prevalence (F = 48, M = 33). Mean follow-up was 77.7 months (min 4-max 361, SD 72.46). One patient (4.4 %) showed a hypopharyngeal stenosis. CONCLUSION: ALT free flap represents a successful and versatile reconstructive option for hypopharyngeal defects extended to oropharynx and/or larynx following total laryngectomy with circumferential or partial hypopharyngectomy, regardless of the functional and aesthetic results, with minimal donor-site complication.

Immediate Breast Reconstruction after mastectomy with polyurethane implants versus textured implants: A retrospective study with focus on capsular contracture.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture (CC) is the most common complication following Immediate Breast Reconstruction (IBR) with breast implants. Different implant surfaces were developed aiming to reduce the incidence of CC. We evaluated the incidence and degree of CC after Direct-to-Implant (DTI) IBR with insertion of textured (TE) or polyurethane (PU) covered implants. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive patients treated at our Institution with mastectomy and one-stage IBR and implant reconstruction between 2013 and 2018, with or without post mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT), was conducted. Immediate breast reconstruction was performed by implanting 186 PU covered implants and 172 TE implants. RESULTS: Three-hundred-twelve women underwent 358 DTI IBR with PU or TE implants, were analyzed with a median follow-up time of 2.3 years (range 1.0-3.0). The overall rate of CC Baker grade III and IV was 11.8% (95%CI: 8.4-16.3), while, after PU and TE implant placement it was 8.1% (95% CI: 4.1-15.7) and 15.8% (95% CI: 4.1-15.7) [p = 0.009]), respectively. Irradiated breasts developed CC more frequently rather than non-irradiated breasts (HR = 12.5, p < 0.001), and the relative risk was higher in the TE group compared with the PU group (HR = 0.3, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: After mastectomy and one-stage IBR, the use of PU covered implants is associated with a lower incidence of CC compared to TE implants. This advantage is amplified several folds for patients who necessitate PMRT. Footnote: Capsular contracture (CC); Immediate Breast Reconstruction (IBR); Directto- Implant (DTI); Textured (TE); Polyurethane (PU); Post mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT); Nipple Sparing mastectomy (NSM).

The Use of TIGR Matrix in Breast Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery: Is a Resorbable Synthetic Mesh a Viable Alternative to Acellular Dermal Matrices?

The authors document their experience in the use of synthetic 100% bioresorbable surgical mesh (TIGR Matrix, Novus Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden) in breast reconstruction as well as in breast aesthetic surgery. They performed a retrospective review on patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction as well as patients who underwent breast reduction mammoplasty procedures with the use of TIGR Matrix Surgical Mesh. When compared with other synthetic but nonresorbable meshes, it appears to show a potentially lower seroma and infection rates, but most importantly, a lower rate of revisional and mesh explantation surgeries.

Polyurethane Implants in 2-Stage Breast Reconstruction: 9-Year Clinical Experience.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture (CC) is a major complication of breast surgery with smooth and textured implants. Polyurethane (PU) foam-coated breast implants were developed to decrease the incidence of CC. OBJECTIVES: The authors determined the incidence of CC following 2-stage breast reconstruction using PU foam-covered implants, with and without radiation therapy. METHODS: The records of 92 patients who received 115 PU implants were retrospectively reviewed. The rates of CC over time were compared for irradiated and nonirradiated groups with a Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. CC rates also were analyzed with respect to age. RESULTS: The median follow-up time for patients was 103.3 months. Nine patients experienced unilateral Baker grade III or IV fibrous CC, including 6 patients from the irradiated group and 3 patients from the nonirradiated group. The overall cumulative incidence of CC at 9 years was 8.1%. In the irradiated and nonirradiated groups, the 9-year cumulative incidence was 10.7% and 5.5%, respectively. CC occurred within 3 years in the irradiated group and within 7 years in the nonirradiated group. The incidence of CC appeared to be higher among younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation therapy increases the risk of high-grade CC with textured or smooth implants. PU implants are associated with a much lower cumulative incidence of CC following 2-stage breast reconstruction, even when radiotherapy is performed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.

The Modern Polyurethane-Coated Implant in Breast Augmentation: Long-Term Clinical Experience.

BACKGROUND: First-generation polyurethane foam-coated breast implants were associated with a low risk of capsular contracture (CC), but the risk of CC with modern polyurethane-coated silicone implants has not been established. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to determine the long-term rates of CC after primary breast augmentation with Microthane, a polyurethane-coated silicone gel implant. METHODS: A total of 131 patients (255 breasts) were evaluated in a retrospective study. Data were compiled from postoperative follow-up sessions at 2 weeks; 1, 3, 6, and 12 months; and annually thereafter. Rates of various complications, including CC, were determined. RESULTS: CC developed in 3 of the 255 implanted breasts (1.2%; Baker grade III or IV), and postoperative hematoma occurred in 2 implanted breasts (0.8%). Spontaneous CC that was not associated with other complications was observed in 1 implanted breast (0.4%). All instances of CC occurred before the 31st postoperative month. CONCLUSIONS: For patients who undergo primary breast augmentation with modern polyurethane-coated implants, the long-term risk of CC is low. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Therapeutic.