Therapeutic Reduction Mammoplasty: Experience of a Single Institute.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide as reported by the World Health Organization. The concept of oncoplastic breast surgery appeared as an extension of breast-conserving surgery, applying breast reduction techniques with more acceptable aesthetic and functional outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to describe the breast cancer population of a single institute submitted to lumpectomy and bilateral immediate breast reduction or mastopexy and its complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study including patients submitted to lumpectomy and immediate bilateral breast reduction or mastopexy. Patients and tumour characteristics, surgical technique, complications, follow-up period, and recurrence data were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were submitted to lumpectomy and bilateral breast therapeutic reduction/mastopexy, with a mean age of 56.47 ±8.58 years and a mean body mass index of 28.68kg/m2 ±3.94 kg/m² between January 2019 and December 2021. Invasive tumours of no specific type, associated or not, with carcinoma intraductal in situ were the most common histological type corresponding to almost 80% of the cases with T1 stage corresponding to more than half of the cases. Sixteen percent of the patients had early minor complications with wound dehiscence associated with wound delayed healing, corresponding to 75% of the cases. Body mass index had a statistical difference between groups (p=0,006, t-test). CONCLUSIONS: The low rates of minor and major complications show that immediate therapeutic breast reduction can be a suitable approach in selected cases.

Suspensory Ligament of the Mammary Gland: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The ligamentous system of the breast comprises a deep component, connecting the breast to the chest wall, and a superficial component, attached to the dermis and defining the breast contour. METHODS: A female patient with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer and presenting a bilateral fibrocystic mastopathy was submitted to surgical treatment with bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants. RESULTS: Intra-operatively, a strong ligament between the clavicle and the upper pole of the breast was identified. In addition, there was bilateral absence of the suspensory ligament of the axilla. CONCLUSIONS: Variations on the anatomy of the ligamentous system of the breast can represent alterations during the embryonic development of the breast and may have an important impact in the development of breast ptosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that the authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Computer simulation of breast reduction surgery.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgery of the breast, particularly breast reduction, is considered difficult. It can become a challenge for a less experienced surgeon to understand exactly what to do when facing a particular type of breast and how to avoid unsatisfactory results. METHODS: The goal of this study was to create a computer model of the breast that provides a basis for the simulation of breast surgery, particularly breast reduction. The reconstruction of elastic parameters is based on observations of the breast with the patient in different positions. RESULTS: It is shown that several measurements with the patient in different positions allow one to choose the parameters of the model and determine the elastic coefficients of the breast and the skin. The geometry of the breast before and after surgery is simulated. A qualitative study of the incision parameters' influence on the final geometry of the breast is presented. CONCLUSION: The developed methodology and software allow one to estimate the form of the breast after the surgery by knowing its form before surgery and taking into consideration the parameters of incision applied by the surgeon at the time of surgery. The described approach can be used for the qualitative and quantitative study of breast reduction surgery with a satisfactory result. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266 .

Repair of a large congenital diaphragmatic defect with a reverse latissimus dorsi muscle flap.

Advances in neonatal care have led to an increase in the survival rate of children with large congenital diaphragmatic defects. Reconstruction by direct closure is not usually possible and surgical correction in the newborn consists of synthetic patch closure. Recurrence and complications are high with this technique and a latter reconstruction with living tissue is now advocated. We report a case of congenital diaphragmatic hernia treated initially by synthetic patch closure and 10 months latter, after a recurrence, with a reinnervated reverse latissimus dorsi (RLD) flap. We used an end-to-side neural coaptation of the thoracodorsal nerve to the phrenic nerve. The result was satisfactory, with remission of symptoms and improvement in growth and development, with permanent pleuro-peritoneal separation, normal lung growth, and apparent neodiaphragmatic function.

Microsurgical reconstruction of chest wall defect after necrotizing fasciitis.

Chest wall necrotizing fasciitis is a rare and often fatal infection that usually requires extensive debridements and reconstructive procedures. We describe the therapeutical course of an uncommon case of perforating thoracic wound complicated with necrotizing fasciitis, with consecutive debridements and a resultant full-thickness subscapular defect. We agree that free flaps, although seldom required, must be considered when treating more complex defects. Latissimus dorsi free-flap was enough for pleural reconstruction and wall stabilization. There are no previous references in the literature to primary chest wall fasciitis treated successfully with microsurgical reconstruction.

[Pediatric facial fractures. Characteristics of Portuguese population]. / Fracturas da face em idades pediátricas. Características da população portuguesa.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the facial skeleton are relatively uncommon in children and adolescents, and there are only few reports that review a significative number of patients. We performed a retrospective study to analyse the different characteristics of such fractures in the pediatric population in the north of Portugal. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and the surgical records of a series of 247 patients younger than 19 years, that were submitted to operation due to facial fractures by the Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Service of São João Hospital, Oporto (Portugal) between 1993 and 2002. The following parameters were evaluated: age, sex, cause of the accident, time and month of hospital admission, location and type of fractures, presence and location of associated injuries, treatment methods, length of in-hospital stay, and complications. RESULTS: Surgical treatment of 325 fractures was performed. The ratio of boys to girls was 3.3:1. The majority of injuries occurred in patients with 16 to 18 years old. Motor-vehicle accident (MVA) was the most common cause of injuries (57.1%). Mandibular fractures were the most common (62.5%). Associated injuries occurred in 63.2% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric facial fractures are usually associated with severe trauma. Although MVA was the most frequent cause of fractures, this has decreased. The incidence of these type of fractures is high in Portugal.

Tuberous breast: a surgical challenge.

Since the presentation of the tuberous breast deformity by Rees and Aston in 1976, many surgical procedures have been developed, but the correction of such a deformity still remains a surgical challenge. The authors report the last cases treated in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of São João Hospital-Porto and discuss about the ideal procedure which should be used according to the type of deformity. They emphasize the periareolar approach and the good results obtained by the Liacyr Ribeiro technique.