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Volume 12
Issue 3
10.3390/diagnostics12030683
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Article

A New CT Analysis of Abdominal Wall after DIEP Flap Harvesting

by
Tito Brambullo
1,*,
Eva Kohlscheen
1,
Diego Faccio
1,
Francesco Messana
1,
Roberto Vezzaro
2,
Giulia Pranovi
3,
Stefano Masiero
3,
Sandra Zampieri
4,5,6,
Barbara Ravara
4,5,6,
Franco Bassetto
1 and
Vincenzo Vindigni
1
1
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
2
Radiology Unit, Civil Hospital of Pescara, 65124 Pescara, Italy
3
Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
4
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
5
Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, 3rd Surgical Clinic, University of Padova, 35128 Padua, Italy
6
Myology Center, University of Padova, 35122 Padua, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diagnostics 2022, 12(3), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12030683
Submission received: 13 February 2022 / Revised: 6 March 2022 / Accepted: 8 March 2022 / Published: 11 March 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translational Research on Muscle and Mobility Medicine)
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Abstract

The abdominal microsurgical flap based on the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap has become the most popular option worldwide for autologous breast reconstruction. Several authors have investigated the results of reconstructed breasts, but the literature lacks systematic reviews exploring the donor site of the abdominal wall. To fulfil our aims, a new diagnostic muscle imaging analysis was designed and implemented. This study focused on rectus abdominal muscle morphology and function in a single series of 12 consecutive patients analysed before and after breast reconstruction with a microsurgical DIEP flap. Patients were divided into two groups, namely, “ipsilateral reconstruction” and “contralateral reconstruction”, depending on the side of the flap harvest and breast reconstruction, then evaluated by computed tomography (CT) scans scheduled for tumor staging, and clinically examined by a physiatrist. Numerous alterations in muscle physiology were observed due to surgical dissection of perforator vessels, and rectus muscle distress without functional impairment was a common result. Postoperatively, patients undergoing “contralateral reconstruction” appeared to exhibit fewer rectus muscle alterations. Overall, only three patients were impacted by a long-term deterioration in their quality of life. On the basis of the newly developed and implemented diagnostic approach, we concluded that DIEP microsurgical breast reconstruction is a safe procedure without major complications at the donor site, even if long-term alterations of the rectus muscle are a common finding.
Keywords: abdominal wall; breast reconstruction; CT; DIEP flap; donor site morbidity; rectus muscle abdominal wall; breast reconstruction; CT; DIEP flap; donor site morbidity; rectus muscle

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MDPI and ACS Style

Brambullo, T.; Kohlscheen, E.; Faccio, D.; Messana, F.; Vezzaro, R.; Pranovi, G.; Masiero, S.; Zampieri, S.; Ravara, B.; Bassetto, F.; et al. A New CT Analysis of Abdominal Wall after DIEP Flap Harvesting. Diagnostics 2022, 12, 683. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12030683

AMA Style

Brambullo T, Kohlscheen E, Faccio D, Messana F, Vezzaro R, Pranovi G, Masiero S, Zampieri S, Ravara B, Bassetto F, et al. A New CT Analysis of Abdominal Wall after DIEP Flap Harvesting. Diagnostics. 2022; 12(3):683. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12030683

Chicago/Turabian Style

Brambullo, Tito, Eva Kohlscheen, Diego Faccio, Francesco Messana, Roberto Vezzaro, Giulia Pranovi, Stefano Masiero, Sandra Zampieri, Barbara Ravara, Franco Bassetto, and et al. 2022. "A New CT Analysis of Abdominal Wall after DIEP Flap Harvesting" Diagnostics 12, no. 3: 683. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12030683

APA Style

Brambullo, T., Kohlscheen, E., Faccio, D., Messana, F., Vezzaro, R., Pranovi, G., Masiero, S., Zampieri, S., Ravara, B., Bassetto, F., & Vindigni, V. (2022). A New CT Analysis of Abdominal Wall after DIEP Flap Harvesting. Diagnostics, 12(3), 683. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12030683

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