title: Sternal resection and reconstruction for local recurrence of breast cancer using the sternal allograft transplantation technique.
abstract: Sternal involvement in patients with breast cancer is relatively rare and its treatment is still controversial. Surgery is usually indicated in cases of single metastases in a multimodality protocol. Partial or complete sternectomy associated or not with the resection of surrounding tissues is the technique of choice to obtain safety margins and radical treatment of the disease. The most challenging part of the operation is the reconstruction of the anterior chest wall in order to avoid secondary complications and respiratory failure. In the last few years, different techniques and materials have been used to reconstruct the sternum. We report our experience in two patients with recurrent breast cancer using the sternal allograft technique to replace the sternum after partial sternectomy. The use of a sternal-allograft provides excellent functional and cosmetic results without complications during the follow-up period. The implantation technique is simple and reproducible.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy. dellamore76@libero.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dell'amore
authors.forename: Asadi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nizar
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolci
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cassanelli
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caroli
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stella
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013249:Sternum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous