[Incidental internal mammary lymph node biopsy in 113 cases of breast cancer undergoingfree abdominal flap breast reconstruction and its influencing factors].

Internal mammary lymph nodes found incidentally during recipient vessel exposure may provide important information about internal mammary lymph node metastasis in free flap breast reconstruction. This approach for internal mammary lymph node biopsy reveals an appreciable success rate and is convenient in clinical practice. The size of invasive tumor and the axillary lymph node metastasis are probably associated with internal mammary lymph node positivity.