Combined reconstruction of complex defects of the chest wall

New perspectives in prosthetic reconstruction in chest wall resection

The extension of chest wall resection for the treatment of primary and secondary tumours is still widely debated. The reconstructive strategy after extensive surgery is challenging as well as chest wall demolition itself. Reconstructive surgery aims to avoid respiratory failure and to guarantee intra-thoracic organs protection. The purpose of this review is to analyse the literature on this issue focusing on the planning strategy for chest wall reconstruction. This is a narrative review, reporting data from the most interesting studies on chest wall demolition and reconstruction. Representative surgical series on chest wall thoracic surgery were selected and described. We focused to identify the best reconstructive strategies analyzing employed materials, techniques of reconstruction, morbidity and mortality. Nowadays the new "bio-mimetic" materials in "rigid" and "non-rigid" chest wall systems reconstructive represent new horizons for the treatment of challenging thoracic diseases. Further prospective studies are warranted to identify new materials enhancing thoracic function after major thoracic excisions.

Surgical treatment for chest wall invasion due to the local recurrence of breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we investigated the surgical results for chest wall invasion of local recurrence of breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed eight patients who underwent a chest wall resection for local recurrence of breast cancer in our department between 1986 and 2004.

RESULTS

All of the patients had local recurrence without any distant metastasis. All of them had skin ulcers with blood oozing. The operation procedures were Bt + Ax + Ic + Mj + Mn (Halsted mastectomy) in four patients, Bt + Ax + Ic + Mn (Patey procedure) in two patients, Bt + Ax + Ic (muscle-preserving mastectomy) in one patient, and Bt + Ax (Auchincloss procedure) in one patient. The intervals from the primary operation ranged from 14 months to 20 years. The maximum and minimum areas of the chest wall defect were 18 x 16 cm and 4.5 x 3.5 cm, respectively. Reconstruction of the chest wall was performed using a flap of the rectus abdominis muscle with polypropylene (Marlex) mesh in four patients, a flap of the rectus abdominis muscle combined with sandwich prosthesis of polypropylene mesh and methylmethacrylate in one patient, a flap of latissimus dorsi muscle in one patient, polypropylene mesh with pectoralis major muscle in one patient, and by direct closure in one patient. A survival of more than 3 years was achieved in seven patients and only one patient died 1 year and 2 months after the chest wall resection.

CONCLUSION

In patients with the chest wall recurrence of breast cancer without distant metastasis, a surgical resection of the chest wall may be effective both for relieving pain and for control of the local hemorrhage. Seven out of the eight patients survived more than 3 years, suggesting that this surgical treatment could facilitate home health care and maintain a good quality of life for patients with breast cancer.

[Intensive care treatment following thoracic surgery]

Intensive care in thoracic surgery requires highly specialised abilities and knowledge in addition to usual intensive care standards. The operative chest intensivist must be experienced in special surgical methods, interventional bronchology, and tube management. Cooperating with chest physicians and anaesthesiologists, he takes the central position in intensive therapy. This is described in detail and explained by examples. Furthermore, aspects of education in this specialty will be emphasised.