[Late results in breast reconstruction by latissimus dorsi flap and prothesis implantation]

Breast reconstruction by latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap in combination with prosthesis has been used for 30 years. Short- and medium-term evaluation after this procedure is well described in the literature, but there have been few evaluations of the late course published until now. In our retrospective study, we included 47 patients who had a breast reconstruction according to this technique, with a minimal follow-up of five years and a maximal follow-up of 11 years. We found that one third of the patients complained about the subjective donor-site morbidity of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and 37% of the patients needed a late reoperation for prosthesis exchange. Evolution of the reconstructed breast is different compared to the healthy side and getting a long-term symmetry seems difficult.