Chest wall reconstruction: success of a team approach-a 12-year experience from a tertiary care institution

The thoracic cavity was considered as a forbidden area in the past and anyone attempting to meddle with it was expected to be doomed. But the past several decades have seen a marked improvement in the management and reconstruction of complex chest wall defects. This study was undertaken to review our experience in chest wall reconstruction during the past 12 years and to stress upon the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach to this complex problem.

After obtaining the necessary clearance from institutional ethics committee, we did a retrospective review of all case records of chest wall reconstructions (CWR) performed in our institution during a 12-year period from May 2005 to September 2016. Patient characteristics, co-morbidities, operative data and post-operative complications and outcomes were reviewed.

During the study period, a total of 32 patients underwent CWR. All patients were assessed, planned, operated and managed by a team consisting of thoracic surgeons, plastic surgeons, intensivists and pulmonologists. Patients were in the age group of 14-72 with a male:female ratio of 15:17. Indications for CWR were neoplasms (n = 13-40.62%), post-sternotomy wound dehiscence (n = 12-37.5%), osteoradionecrosis (n = 4-12.5%), tuberculosis (n = 2-6.25%) and osteomyelitis rib (1/32-3.125%). Inflammatory defects were mostly closed with soft tissue alone whereas skeletal stabilisation with soft tissue cover was required in tumour resections. All were pedicled flaps, the most common being pectoralis major (PM) muscle flap (n = 12). Others include latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle (n = 9); rectus abdominis (RA) muscle (n = 2); transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (TRAM) (n = 2), deltopectoral (DP) (n = 1), omentum (n = 3) and breast flap (n = 3). Post-operative complications include wound dehiscence (12%), wound infection (21%) and recurrent sinus formation (7%). One partial flap failure was recorded. Post-operative mortality was 3%.

Chest wall reconstruction is a complex procedure and each defect needs an individualised approach for optimum outcome. Extensive chest wall resections can be safely undertaken with the support of the reconstructive surgeon and with good critical care back up.