title: Prosthetic reconstruction of the chest wall.
abstract: Since January 1987, in a consecutive series of 56 resections of the chest-wall for cancer, the wall defect was repaired by a prosthetic implant on 14 occasions (10 silastic sheeting, 4 goretex soft tissue patch). Indications for thoracic wall resection were: T3 primary lung cancers (7 cases), local recurrences after breast cancer surgery (5 cases), primary and metastatic neoplasms arising in the chest-wall (2 cases). No rejection was reported nor episodes of flail chest or respiratory disorders. No major complications occurred in patients who underwent postoperative radiotherapy; only 1 case of persistent seroma was observed. Followup ranges from 3 to 37 months. In no case was a local recurrence of tumor observed. Cosmetic results were considered from acceptable to good in all patients. In every case a total control of pain symptoms was achieved. There were 6 deaths at a mean interval of 22 months from operation (4 lung cancers, 1 breast cancer, 1 osteosarcoma), all due to metastatic spread of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery A Gemelli Medical School, Catholic University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picciocchi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Granone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardillo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Margaritora
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benzoni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Ugo
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012086:Reoperation; D012272:Ribs / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*