Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025
The Superficial Inferior Epigastric Artery Fascia Flap for Nerve Reconstruction in Rabbits
Published on: June 13, 2025
Creating a context for recipient vessel selection in deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction
Chih-Hsuan Changchien1, Chien-Liang Fang2, Chin-Hao Hsu3
1Division of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Department of Surgery, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi City, Taiwan; Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
Background:
In autologous tissue breast reconstruction, recipient vessels are important for artery perfusion and venous drainage to ensure free flap survival. There are insufficient clinical outcomes to select efficient recipient vessels in bi-pedicled deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction.
Methods:
We presented a retrospective observational series of 108 patients regarding the diameter, anastomosis time, and re-anastomosis rate in internal mammary (IM), circumflex scapular (CS), thoracodorsal (TD), thoracoacromial (TA), lateral thoracic (LT), and internal mammary perforator (IMP) vessels of bi-pedicled DIEP flaps for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. The outcomes were the vessel re-anastomosis rate, flap failure rate, vessel anastomosis time, and complications. Data were gleaned from the chi-square test, Fisher's test, and analysis of variance using Scheffe's test as a post hoc analysis. The level of significance was p < 0.05.
Results:
There were no significant differences in the diameters of the artery, first vein, and second vein across the recipient vessels (p > 0.05). However, the anastomosis time was longer in IM and TA than in CS, TD, and LT (p < 0.001). Also, there were no significant differences for re-anastomosis, flap necrosis, and fat necrosis among different recipient vessels (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
Because of the altered mastectomy incisions, this study provides complete anatomical vascular properties and suggests that altering recipient vessel selection for bi-pedicled DIEP flaps can shorten anastomosis time and better conceal scars.
