The Silent Helper: A Helpful Tool in Autologous Breast Reconstruction Surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Microsurgery

Background:

• Internal mammary vessels are crucial recipient vessels for autologous breast reconstruction.
• Rib-sparing techniques and inframammary approaches in mastectomy can significantly limit surgical exposure for vessel preparation.
• Adequate exposure of the surgical field is essential for successful internal mammary vessel dissection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel, simple, and cost-efficient surgical technique for optimizing exposure of the internal mammary vessels.
• To facilitate vessel preparation in challenging surgical scenarios, including those with limited exposure.
• To provide a practical solution using basic surgical instrumentation.

Main Methods:

• Development of a specific surgical approach to enhance visualization and access to the internal mammary vessels.
• Application of the technique in the context of autologous breast reconstruction following mastectomy.
• Focus on utilizing standard surgical tools for staff and cost efficiency.

Main Results:

• The described technique effectively expands the surgical field for internal mammary vessel preparation.
• It allows for improved access even when combined with rib-sparing and inframammary mastectomy techniques.
• The method is efficient in terms of staff and cost, utilizing basic surgical instruments.

Conclusions:

• A simple yet elaborate technique has been developed to improve surgical field exposure for internal mammary vessel preparation.
• This method addresses the challenges posed by limited surgical access in modern breast reconstruction techniques.
• The technique offers a practical, cost-effective solution for surgeons performing autologous breast reconstruction.