Reverse abdominoplasty: a practical option for oncological trunk reconstruction

Following radical oncological resection, full-thickness upper central trunk defects present a significant challenge. Common reconstructive options include pedicled flaps, such as pectoralis major, rectus abdominis, and latissimus dorsi. In complex cases, free tissue transfer may be required. Reverse abdominoplasty, although initially described for cosmetic body contouring, can be used to reconstruct upper central trunk defects following radical tumour ablation. We present 4 such applications in the management of advanced or recurrent malignancies and review the relative indications for this approach.

Four consecutive cases (2004-2010) were reviewed with respect to indication, operative procedure, and complications.

There were no cases of complete flap loss. One patient underwent revision for marginal flap necrosis while another developed local recurrence, requiring re-excision and reconstruction with flap advancement.

Where pedicled flaps are unavailable or insufficient, adjacent abdominal tissue can be recruited into chest wall defects, avoiding microsurgical free tissue transfer. The authors feel that the reverse abdominoplasty is currently underused in this context and offers an excellent alternative in complex cases where other reconstructive options are unavailable, or where comorbidities preclude free-tissue transfer. The technique is versatile, simple to perform and affords an acceptable cosmetic outcome, yet is not widely reported in the literature. It has particular merit in cases with a high chance of disease recurrence, in the management of recurrent breast cancer, and in patients with multiple comorbidities. The reverse abdominoplasty should therefore be considered when evaluating patients for oncological trunk reconstruction.