Use of Extended Pedicled Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous Flap for Extensive Chest Wall Defect Reconstruction After Mastectomy for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

Background The reconstruction of a large postmastectomy chest wall defect for patients with stage III/IV breast cancer is a challenge for plastic surgeons. In this study, we present the application of an extended transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap to easily and safely reconstruct these defects. Patients and Methods A retrospective review from November 1997 to November 2016 revealed that 65 patients with stage III/IV breast cancer immediately underwent postmastectomy TRAM flap reconstruction. In total, 16 patients were enrolled in this study based on the inclusion criteria of a postmastectomy chest skin defect size of greater than or equal to 100 cm2 and a TRAM flap size of greater than or equal to 80% of the lower abdominal area for reconstruction. Results Eleven (68.9%) and 5 patients (31.3%) were diagnosed with stage III and stage IV breast cancer, respectively. The chest wall skin defects ranged from 135 to 440 cm2. All flap areas exceeded 80% of the lower abdominal area. Overall, 100% of the harvested flaps were used in 3 patients, and only 1 patient had marginal necrosis in zone IV. No total flap loss was observed. The average length of hospital stay was 5.8 days, and the mean follow-up duration was 46.6 months (range, 4.5-117.7 months). On a Likert scale, the mean follow-up satisfaction score of 10 patients was 4.7. Conclusions Even when the flap area exceeded 80% of the lower abdominal area, the extended TRAM flap proved an effective and viable method for the immediate reconstruction of extensive postmastectomy chest wall skin defects, resulting in few minor complications and high follow-up satisfaction scores.