Document Detail


Delay of transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction improves flap reliability in the obese patient.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16079698     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Since its introduction in 1982, the transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap has been a mainstay of breast reconstruction. However, in certain high-risk individuals, such as the obese, smokers, and irradiated patients, flap reliability is decreased, which leads to a higher rate of flap complications. The authors hypothesized that although the nonflap complication rate is increased in the obese patient, flap complications are not increased in those who undergo a delayed TRAM procedure.
METHODS: From 1995 to 2003, 107 consecutive patients who underwent a delayed TRAM procedure were examined in a retrospective study. The delayed TRAM procedures were all performed by the senior author (Georgiade) at a single institution. Patients were classified by their body mass index (weight in kilograms and height in square meters).
RESULTS: No patient had complete loss of her flap regardless of body mass index. Patients with an index of 30 kg/m2 and under had a partial fat necrosis rate of 11.4 percent (10 of 88 patients), whereas two of 19 patients (10.5 percent) with an index of greater than 30 kg/m2 had partial fat necrosis of their flap (not significant). The average body mass index of the group with flap complications was 27.8 +/- 4.3 kg/m2, whereas that of the group with no flap complications was 26.5 +/- 4.3 kg/m2 (not significant). The rate of non-flap-related complications, such as deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, was 8 percent (seven of 88 patients) for those with a body mass index of less than 30 kg/m2 and 31.6 percent (six of 19 patients) for those with an index greater than 30 kg/m2 (p = 0.0112). The average body mass index of the group with nonflap complications was 29.9 +/- 4.9 kg/m2, compared with 26.3 +/- 4.0 kg/m2 for the group with no non-flap-related complications (p = 0.031). Of note, patients with a history of smoking and those who had received radiation therapy did not show a statistically significant increase in flap complications.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite a progressively increasing overall complication rate for patients with a higher body mass index, there was not a similar trend for flap-related complications. The authors' data support the idea that the delayed TRAM procedure is a safe and reliable technique for obese and morbidly obese patients.
Authors:
Howard T Wang; Tristan Hartzell; Kevin C Olbrich; Detlev Erdmann; Gregory S Georgiade
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Plastic and reconstructive surgery     Volume:  116     ISSN:  1529-4242     ISO Abbreviation:  Plast. Reconstr. Surg.     Publication Date:  2005 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-08-04     Completed Date:  2006-01-27     Revised Date:  2011-02-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  1306050     Medline TA:  Plast Reconstr Surg     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  613-8; discussion 619-20     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Body Mass Index
Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology*,  surgery
Comorbidity
Female
Humans
Mammaplasty / adverse effects*
Middle Aged
Obesity / epidemiology*
Pulmonary Embolism / epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Surgical Flaps / adverse effects*
Time Factors
Venous Thrombosis / epidemiology

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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