title: Complete sternectomy for metastatic carcinoma with reconstruction using a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap.
abstract: A 67-year-old man was hospitalized because of anterior chest pain and bulging. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma. For the metastatic sternal tumor a complete sternectomy was performed at all layers, following which the chest wall defect was reconstructed using no artificial materials but only a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap. Postoperative respiratory function tests gave satisfactory results. This case suggests that, provided the organs within the thoracic cavity can be protected, solid or semi-solid stabilization achieved with artificial materials may not always be necessary, even in cases undergoing extensive sternectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikebata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps