Oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery using chest wall perforator flaps: Three-dimensional quantitative analysis of the percentage of breast volume excised and changes over time in flap volume
Abstract
Background and Objectives
We investigated the effects of oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (BCS) using chest wall perforator flaps (CWPFs) on the subsequent expected deformity and evaluated the longevity of flap volume.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed oncological and cosmetic outcomes of 33 women who had undergone the above procedure. We calculated the percentage of breast volume excised (PBVE) from computed tomography volumetry and compared it between a historical BCS alone and the study (flap) group. We also sequentially evaluated flap volumes by magnetic resonance imaging volumetry.
Results
Oncoplastic BCS using 25 lateral flaps and eight inferior flaps, depending on the site of the defect, was performed; mean PBVEs were 31.1% and 19.0%, respectively. No local and two distant recurrences occurred in a median follow-up of 61 months. PBVE was 2.6 times larger in the flap than in the BCS alone group. Over half the patients in the BCS alone group had poor cosmetic results when PBVE exceeded 15%, whereas patients in the flap group achieved good cosmetic results with PBVE >25%. In most patients, 80% of flap volume was maintained 5 years after surgery.
Conclusions
CWPF improves cosmetic outcomes in patients with predicted deformity after BCS alone and maintains its volume for at least 5 years.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
