Microsurgical reconstruction of chest- and abdominal-wall defects associated with intraperitoneal vessels

Microsurgical reconstruction of abdominal or chest-wall defects requires extreme precision but may still raise serious problems. In previous publications many methods have been reported, including free fascia graft, synthetic mesh, pedicled flap, and free flap with microvascular anastomoses. Free-flap transfer has become a popular operative procedure for such reconstructions. The recipient vessels utilized have been mainly the external peritoneal system. In some cases, however, it is very difficult to find adequate recipient vessels in the external peritoneal region. Intraperitoneal vessels may be obviously exposed in the surgical field because there has been a full-thickness defect of the abdominal or chest wall. These vessels are rather easily found and dissected. Their diameter is about 1 to 2 mm, appropriate for microvascular anastomoses with flap vessels in the reconstruction. Using intraperitoneal vessels for the recipient vessels has rarely been reported. The authors report three cases of reconstruction of full-thickness defects of the abdominal or chest wall, using these vessels as recipients for free flaps.