ABSTRACT

Anterior chest wall reconstruction should be planned considering both skeletal and soft tissue components which provide physiologic functions of the lungs and preventing air leak. When reconstructing defects of the anterior chest wall due to trauma, tumour excision, infection etc., aim should be skeletal stabilisation first, then the coverage of the defect with a well vascularised tissue. Pectoralis major, serratus anterior, external oblique muscle, rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi muscle or musculocutaneous flaps and omental flaps are frequently used to reconstruct anterior chest wall defects. In this study we aimed to share our clinical experienced gained with the thoracic surgery clinic during the reconstruction of anterior chest wall defects of 8 patients. Reconstruction of anterior chest wall defects of 3 female and 5 male patients were achieved with pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flaps between 2012 and 2013. A new thorax wall is created with titanium plates and meshes in four patients. Defects of two patients who underwent post operative radiotherapy due to breast cancer are reconstructed with a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, one patient with osteosarcoma of the sternum with a bilateral pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap and then following dehiscence with a latissimus dorsi flap, two patients with a unilateral pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap, three patients with bilateral pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap. All patients with an anterior thorax wall defect should be assessed on an individual basis to determine the best choice for that specific patient. In our cases the best choice is determined for each patient. Reconstruction of various defects of the patients are achieved with appropriate surgical procedure and functional and aesthetic results are found satisfactory.