Repair and care of chest wall defects

The formidable challenge of chest wall repair calls upon a multidisciplinary health care approach. The vital organs housed within the chest must be protected and the vascularity of available tissues used for repair must be maintained. Once chest wall reconstruction is complete, the patient must be closely monitored for stability and tissues must be protected from internal and external assaults. The following discussion will review the options for repair and the care of the patient undergoing chest wall defect reconstruction.