Lipofilling, an efficient solution for breast sequelae after cardiothoracic surgery

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Pediatric cardiovascular surgery can result in thoracomammary deformities, often appearing as breast asymmetry during puberty.
• These deformities are frequently caused by injury to the breast bud during thoracotomy.
• Current breast reconstruction techniques for these deformities yield unsatisfactory outcomes.

Observation:

• Lipofilling (fat grafting) has been utilized for breast reconstruction since 1998 and applied to deformities since 2001.
• The study describes an original fat grafting technique for correcting thoracomammary deformities.
• Two clinical cases illustrate the application and efficacy of the fat grafting technique.

Findings:

• Fat grafting provides consistent, natural-looking results with a significant volume-filling effect.
• The technique has demonstrated effectiveness in improving breast asymmetry resulting from iatrogenic causes.
• Results are stable over time, offering long-standing aesthetic improvement.

Implications:

• Fat grafting presents a simple and efficient solution for iatrogenic breast deformities in patients with a history of pediatric cardiovascular surgery.
• This technique offers a valuable alternative for achieving natural and durable results in cases of post-thoracotomy breast asymmetry.
• Increased awareness of fat grafting among surgeons is crucial for managing these rare but impactful deformities.