Complex breast reconstruction after severe chest trauma by firearm

• Published in: Annales de chirurgie plastique et esthétique Vol. 57; no. 1; pp. 72 - 78
• Main Authors: Veber, M, Grecea, M, Scevola, A, Toussoun, G, Pauchot, J, Delay, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01-02-2012
• Subjects: Emergencies; Female; Heart Injuries - etiology; Heart Injuries - surgery; Hemothorax - etiology; Hemothorax - surgery; Humans; Mammaplasty - methods; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - transplantation; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures - methods; Surgical Flaps; Thoracic Injuries - etiology; Thoracic Injuries - surgery; Thoracic Surgical Procedures - methods; Treatment Outcome; Wounds, Gunshot - complications; Wounds, Gunshot - surgery
• ISSN: 1768-319X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anplas.2010.12.006

This case report is of a 47-year-old woman who suffered a ballistic chest trauma with severe left hemothorax and heart wound. She was treated in emergency for the collapse by heart surgery. Then the coverage for her soft thorax tissue loss was done by an ipsilateral musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi pedicled flap. The patient was subsequently addressed to our team for a repair, especially for reconstruction of the left breast. Initially, rehabilitation of aesthetics units breast was achieved through the realization of an abdominal advancement flap, and breast volume was restored by several sessions of lipomodeling. The surgical alternatives were very limited for this post-traumatic complex breast reconstruction. Due to ballistic trauma, no reliable recipient vessels allowed a microsurgical solution, and the ipsilateral latissimus dorsi was used for the coverage. In conclusion, the restoration of the aesthetics units with lipomodeling has achieved a very good result in this extreme thoracomammary region repair.