[Endoscopic harvesting of the latissimus dorsi flap in breast reconstructive surgery. Feasibility study and review of the literature].
OBJECTIVE
Breast reconstructive surgery with latissimus dorsi flap is routinely performed with a long dorsal scar ransom. To reduce the scar the authors propose an endoscopic technique to harvest the pure latissimus dorsal flap. We evaluate our first experience.


METHODS
Between April 2001 and december 2001, 13 patients were operate using an endoscopic pure muscular latissimus dorsal flap for breast reconstruction surgery.


RESULTS
Mean operative time is 116 min. No open conversion was necessary. One patient was transfused. The average lymphatic drainage was of 2520 ml with removal of the drainage on postoperative day 15.


CONCLUSIONS
The endoscopic harvesting of the latissimus dorsi pure muscular flap, brings less scar than the open surgery.
Pomel
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Département de chirurgie générale, institut Gustave-Roussy, 39, rue Camille-Desmoulins, 94800 Villejuif, France. pomel@igr.fr
Missana
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MC
Lasser
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P
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002921:Cicatrix; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps