Abstract
Autologous tissue breast reconstruction is generally preferred over implant-based reconstruction in patients who have had previous chest wall radiation or will receive radiotherapy. The pedicled Transverse Rectus Abdominus Myocutaneous (TRAM) flap has been a workhorse flap for this purpose. Historically, radiation therapy to the ipsilateral chest wall before TRAM flap reconstruction was felt to be associated with an increased rate of complications and flap loss based on the microvascular damage caused to the vascular pedicle by the ionizing radiation. As a result, some reconstructive surgeons favor the use of a contralaterally based pedicled TRAM to avoid basing the flap on the irradiated pedicle. Recently, however, new research has demonstrated no difference in complications between TRAM flaps based on previously irradiated versus non-irradiated pedicles for breast reconstruction.
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Ricci, J.A., Chun, Y.S. (2016). The Impact of Prior Ipsilateral Chest Wall Radiation on Pedicled Tram Flap Breast Reconstruction. In: Shiffman, M. (eds) Breast Reconstruction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18726-6_59
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18726-6_59
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
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