Sensibility and cutaneous reinnervation after breast reconstruction with musculocutaneous flaps.
Sensibility and sensory reinnervation were investigated in 19 patients who underwent, after mastectomy, a breast reconstruction using myocutaneous flaps. A comparative study in reinnervation of the flaps has been performed either after surgery with a latissimus dorsi flap with prosthesis or after surgery with a simple or double pedicle transverse rectus abdominal flap. Ten patients with latissimus dorsi flaps and 9 patients with transverse rectus abdominal flaps were tested. The tests included stimulation with touch, pressure, pin prick, and temperature. The patients were also interviewed regarding their impressions, a subjective sensibility. These results show that the recovery of sensibility by patients who underwent surgery with the transverse rectus abdominal flap technique is superior, objectively and subjectively.
Lehmann
C
C
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland.
Gumener
R
R
Montandon
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012677:Sensation; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*