AN ONCOPLASTIC APPROACH USING INFRAMAMMARY TRANSPOSITION FLAP TO REPLACE PARTIAL MASTECTOMY DEFECTS

Introduction: resection of inferior breast tumors may result in substantial deformity. Inframammary tongue shaped adipofascial flaps (AFPs) were proposed to reconstruct inferior defects but the vascularity of these flaps are not certain. Anatomical studies in our institution favored medial and lateral vascular routes to superiorly based flaps. Aim of the work: to evaluate the safety and adequacy of inframammary transposition flaps (IMTFs) based on medial and lateral vascular roots to reconstruct defects in the inferior breast following breast conservative surgery. Patients and methods: Ten patients with small to moderate breast sizes and inferior tumors under went wide resection to negative margins through an inframammary line (IML) incision. The excess tissues below the IML were used as transposition flaps medially or laterally based (according to tumor position). These flaps were moved into breast superiorly to replace defects. The rate of complications and esthetic outcomes were presented. Results: low rates of fat necrosis and other complications coupled with excellent esthetic results were obtained. Conclusions: IMTFs are safe and reliable means of oncoplastic breast surgery with accepted complications and satisfaction rates.