[Moldable titanium mesh for chest wall reconstruction, an elegant solution about a case report]

Several surgical techniques are available for full thickness chest wall reconstruction. The choice has to be adapted to the size of the loss of tissue, its location, and must finally be accepted by the patient's. We propose a new and unpublished solution.

We have in our care a 54 years-old patient suffering from a previous loss of chest wall tissue measuring 7 cm(2) due to surgical treatment of mediastinal Hodgkin's disease with sternal and costal invasion. Because of the sequelae, the goal focused on aesthetic reconstruction. Heartbeat was visible under the skin due to a loss of secondary left breast tissue from an initial treatment with absorbable Vicryl(©) mesh followed by a local skin, and glandular flap. Our choice of reconstruction consisted of inserting a moldable titanium mesh followed by 200 g implants in each breast during the same operation. We did not experience any complications and the patient is satisfied with the results.

No example of reconstruction using only a moldable titanium mesh was found in the literature on chest wall reconstruction. Our elegant choice is innovative in our discipline. However, this reconstruction materiel is already part of therapy procedures in other specialized surgeries.

This case report illustrates the various facets of our speciality: bring a solution at once repair, aesthetic and unique according to the request of the patient. The use of a moldable titanium mesh allows the reconstruction of stable chest wall. The small size does not present any functional difficulties, but rather unsightly sequel.