title: Successful twin pregnancy and delivery following free rectus abdominis muscle flap at 15 weeks gestational age.
abstract: Although a vertical rectus abdominis flap would not have been selected for reconstruction of the patient's defect had her pregnancy been detected preoperatively, the present case does demonstrate the remarkable resiliency and integrity of the anterior abdominal wall after rectus abdominis muscle flap surgery. Meticulous closure of the abdominal wall is of utmost importance in maintaining abdominal wall competence. Although the merits of muscle splitting techniques and the use of mesh are beyond the scope of this report, there is no evidence that modification of technique should be performed in the patient considering future pregnancy. Our case supports other reports that rectus abdominis flap surgery is not a contraindication to future pregnancy. Intuitively waiting at least 1 year, as recommended by Chen et al., seems reasonable, although the present case demonstrated a successful pregnancy and delivery of twins after a vertical rectus abdominis flap was harvested during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pa., USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bentz
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017233:Orbit Evisceration; D009918:Orbital Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014427:Twins