PURPOSE Exploration of the internal mammary vessels during microsurgical reconstruction presents an ideal opportunity for identifying and sampling the internal mammary lymph node (IMLN) basin. METHODS A retrospective review of patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction using the internal mammary vessels as recipient vessels was conducted from March 2000 to December 2014. Patient ...

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY With the reduction in breast cancer mortality in recent years the aesthetic outcome after treatment has gained increasing attention. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome quality of our single institution concept of free TRAM flap breast reconstruction with the aim of providing data to assist the patient's decision-making when breast reconstruction is an option. ...

Background Immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy can be challenging in some patients for medical or oncological reasons. Delayed two-stage tissue expander/implant is a reliable option these patients. However, data regarding surgical techniques, outcomes, and complication rates are limited. This study reports our experience using the procedure delayed reconstruction.Methods retrospect...

The incidence of breast cancer in Japan has been gradually increasing (1, 2). Although the age at which women are most susceptible to breast cancer is lower than that for other cancers (3), the 5-year posttreatment survival rate in breast cancer is favorable in comparison to that in many other cancers. Thus, the prognosis of patients with breast cancer is relatively good. Therefore, patients’ p...

To have met inclusion criteria, the patient must undergone delayed breast reconstruction without having had any prior The transverse rectus abdominis Muscle (TRAM) flap was used in 2 breasts, and muscle-sparing TRAM 6 breasts (Table 1) Dear Sir, We thank Mantelakis et al [[1]] for their interest our article Delayed, two-staged autologous reconstruction: an approach to improving reconstructive o...

BACKGROUND There are a variety of surgical choices for women with early-stage breast cancer, including breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, or mastectomy plus reconstructive surgery. This report examines some of the factors that affect these choices and the costs of the various treatment options. METHODS Data from the Virginia Cancer Registry were linked to insurance claims from the Trigon ...