Surgical treatment of complications resulting from adjuvant radiotherapy: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among malignancies affecting women. Treatment options range from surgical treatment, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The immediate breast reconstruction helps to benefit the psychosocial aspects of patients, however, depend on the technique used a number of complications can appear, especially after adjuvant radiotherapy. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 65-year-old woman, underwent quadrantectomy and radiotherapy in 1988. In 2010, the patient presented an injury on the scar and she was referred to mastectomy with reconstruction of retail large dorsal and adjuvant radiotherapy. Upon examination, we observed flap necrosis with infection on the axillary region, lymphedema, radiodermatitis, fibroses and joint limitation. In 2014, the patient sought our service to perform a new restorative approach. A bipedicled transverse abdominal flap was decided to be adequate to her case. After surgery, the patient reported mild pain in the upper pole that managed with debridement and dressing. Seven months after surgery there was a complete healing of the flap and patient was satisfied with the surgery. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of surgical techniques associated with the correct scaling of steps are essential for surgical success and management of complications that may appear in breast reconstruction of patients undergoing radiotherapy

Mastoplasty with inclusion of prosthesis during abdominoplasty in post-bariatric patients

INTRODUCTION: Augmentation mammaplasty during abdominoplasty reduces surgical time and has a better aesthetic effect as it only leaves a single scar. The authors of this study assessed the results obtained in post-bariatric patients undergoing this procedure in the plastic surgery service at Daher Hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective longitudinal observational study. Of the 161 post-bariatric patients evaluated, 27 had indications for breast augmentation during abdominoplasty. The surgical technique consisted of classical abdominoplasty and creation of tunnels on the upper and middle abdomen for insertion of implants. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 35 to 50 years, with a mean of 42.4 years. The volume of the prosthesis ranged from 285 to 300 ml. The average body mass index was 22.2 kg/m2.The average surgical time period was 2 hours and 35 minutes. None of the following complications were observed: deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, skin necrosis, hematoma, capsular contracture and/or event. Two patients (7.4%) presented with seroma in the mammary region and one patient developed infection. CONCLUSION: The aesthetic results were satisfactory, as there was only a single scar for these two procedures in post-bariatric patients. Selecting the ideal patient was crucial for good operative success

Breast reconstruction in young women and their peculiarities

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the main features and methods used in breast reconstruction in young women considering their unique characteristics. METHODS: A retrospective records review of patients who underwent mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction between January 2008 and December 2015 was conducted, selecting those reconstructions that were performed in women younger than 40 years. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were selected. The average age was 33.86 years. Many had some comorbidities, the most common being overweight and anxiety/depressive disorder. Fourteen patients had a family history of the disease. Most were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. Additional cancer treatments were administered in most cases. All patients underwent a full mastectomy in the breast with cancer, and in 16, there was the option of contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy. Of the 43 reconstructions, 36 were immediate and 7 were delayed, and 17 involved use of implants, 13 involved use of tissue expanders, 4 involved the TRAM, and 9 involved the GD. We observed 15 complications; the most severe were infection with reconstruction loss in one patient and areola necrosis in another. CONCLUSIONS: Young women undergoing breast reconstruction represent a population subgroup with its own characteristics. The tumors and personal and social patterns differ, and based on this long list of variables, treatment options are diverse. In our series, breast implants and tissue expanders were often most used

Comparison between surgical sutures and Prineo® in terms of esthetic result and scar formation

INTRODUCTION: Wound healing is a well-organized, directed process of tissue repair. The process can be expedited using topical glues and adhesives, which offer a non-invasive, easily removable alternative to suturing. Furthermore, such products have good tensile strength and involve lower application time. In particular, the Prineo® adhesive is applied to a polyester mesh that covers the wound. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective, cross-sectional study, with subsequent statistical analysis , involving 101 surgical procedures in which wound closure was performed using either nylon sutures or Prineo®. All the procedures were performed between 2012 and 2014. RESULTS: Six patients had contact dermatitis after Prineo® was used, with statistical significance (p = 0.042). Furthermore, Prineo® decreased the rate of scar enlargement (p < 0.05) . There was no statistical difference between the Prineo® and suture groups in terms of scar quality (p = 0.068); in both groups, the scar result was mostly excellent (87 %) to good (27%). CONCLUSION: Patients whose wounds were closed using Prineo® a system involving octyl-2-cyanoacrylate and an associated polyester mesh displayed lower rates of scar enlargement, which depended on whether the thickness of the dermis was satisfactory. However, the same patients had higher rates of contact dermatitis than those whose wounds were closed using surgical sutures. Both groups showed excellent to good scar quality, with no significant difference in terms of esthetic scar results

Assessment of immediate symmetrization in breast reconstruction

INTRODUCTION: The surgical treatment of breast cancer frequently results in mutilation. Breast reconstruction in mastectomized women aims to create a new esthetically acceptable breast symmetrical to the contralateral breast. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of symmetrization of the contralateral breast simultaneously with breast reconstruction, discuss possible complications, and perform a brief review of the literature. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Hospital Daher from October 2013 to February 2015. Breast reconstruction outcomes immediately after mastectomy for breast cancer were assessed, and all patients undergoing symmetrization of the contralateral breast in the same surgical stage using the same surgical technique were selected for inclusion and statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study comprised 42 patients within the established criteria, totaling 21 reconstructions with simultaneous symmetrization (Group 1) and 21 symmetrization procedures in two stages (Group 2). The mean age was 53.86 years in Group 1 and 52.62 years in the control group. The groups were comparable in all variables. Data regarding postoperative complications were analyzed. Some of the studied patients did not complete all stages of reconstruction. The group that underwent immediate symmetrization attained more symmetry. The patients aged 45 years and with lower body mass index attained more symmetry in Group 1. CONCLUSION: The implementation of symmetrization procedures at the same stage of unilateral breast reconstruction is associated with low complication rates and revision surgeries. In selected cases, immediate symmetrization may be preferable to the procedure in another surgical stage