Semi-rigid and Rigid Chest Wall Reconstruction

Chest wall reconstruction plays a vital role in restoring structural support and preserving respiratory mechanics after oncologic resection, trauma, or infection. This article examines rigid, semirigid, and composite reconstruction techniques, with an emphasis on material selection, including synthetic and biologic mesh, methyl methacrylate, and metal grafts. Semirigid techniques have increasingly gained favor, compared with rigid techniques, over the past decade for their ability to provide support without excessive limitation of respiratory mechanics. As of now, there is no single algorithm available for complex chest wall reconstruction and the ultimate choice of method and materials depends upon an individualized strategy.