Breast reconstruction through thoracoepigastric fasciocutaneous flap. short case report

Large chest wall defects develop secondary to tumor resection, radiotherapy, trauma, and infection. Primary goals of chest wall restoration include protecting underlying thoracic structures and preserving respiratory functionality while achieving aesthetic outcomes. Fasciocutaneous flaps have been historically documented as a viable option for breast reconstruction. Objective: Report a breast reconstruction through thoracoepigastric fasciocutaneous flap in a female patient after breast cancer resection. Clinical case: 64 years old female patient, with a left breast cancer who was taken to the operating room by the breast oncological service under general anesthesia to perform a Forrest total mastectomy and at the same surgical time an immediate reconstruction through a fasciocutaneous thoracoepigastric flap by the Plastic and Reconstructive Service. Conclusion: Thoracoepigastric flaps; also referred to as thoracoabdominal flaps have a segmental blood supply. Relevance of segmental abdominal wall anatomy to transverse thoracoepigastric flaps was delineated by Brown et al. in 1975. Three main sources of vessels supply the anterior and lateral abdominal wall: perforating branches of the intercostal and lumbar arteries; perforators of the epigastric arcade; and the superficial inferior epigastric artery. Thoracoepigastric fasciocutaneous is a well-documented reconstructive option to those defects after breast cancer resection with oncological, functional and aesthetic results Figure 1.