title: The vertical posteromedial thigh (vPMT) flap for autologous breast reconstruction: A novel flap design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The vertical posteromedial thigh (vPMT) perforator flap is a new reliable flap with versatility. The purpose of this article was to report our experience with the use of free vPMT flap for reconstruction of the breast.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2015 to December 2015, seven patients received immediate unilateral breast reconstruction with seven free vPMT flaps. The flaps were raised based on the first medial perforator of the profunda femoris artery (PFA). The internal mammary artery and vein were dissected as recipient vessels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The flap sizes varied from 25 × 9 cm to 30 × 10 cm. The average weight of the flap and mastectomy specimen was 431 g (range: 390 to 470 g) and 410 g (range: 360 to 450 g) respectively. The average pedicle length was 10.4 cm (range, 8.5 to 12.5 cm) and the average arterial diameter was 2.1 mm (range, 1.8 to 2.6 mm). All of the flaps survived completely after surgery. The donor sites were all primarily closed with minimal morbidities. Follow-up observations were conducted from 3 to 9 months. All of patients were satisfactory with the reconstruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vertical vPMT is suitable for breast reconstruction in women with small to moderate breast size; the vertical pattern of the PMT avoids some of the problems related to other flaps with transverse patterns and represents an alternative design that can be successfully used for breast reconstruction. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 37:371-376, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.|Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Scaglioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Chou
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lindenblatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giovanoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000637:transplantation*; D013848:Thigh