• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.736-741
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• 2010

Purpose: Radical surgical extirpation in advanced breast cancer patients produces extensive loss of skin with large defects requiring plastic surgical procedures for the closure. Many reconstructive methods exist, the choice of which depends upon the characteristic of the wound, extent of resection and patient comorbidities. For adequate coverage of the large skin defects following resection of advanced breast cancer, current authors have performed a thoracoabdominal flap. Methods: From August 2008 to June 2009, 4 cases of thoraco-abdominal flap were performed for chest wall reconstruction after mastectomy of advanced breast cancer. Flap dissection was entirely performed in a subfascial plane and the flap involving the external oblique abdominal muscle. The flap was rotated clockwise in left chest wall defects and counterclockwise in right chest defects and the donor site was closed directly. Results: Their mean age, 55.7 years and the average follow-up interval was 9 months. Patients' oncologic status ranged from stage IIIc to stage IV, it was classified according to the TNM staging system. Flap dimensions ranged between $15{\times}15$ and $25{\times}25\;cm$. One flap sustained a partial loss at the distal margin and revision with pectoralis major musculocutaneous island flap. Conclusion: Large chest wall reconstructions are usually required after radical excision of advanced cancer stages patients with poor general conditions. Thoracoabdominal flap is a simple, quick single-stage procedure, and offer to patient fast recovery, low complication rate, enabling further concomitant adjuvant therapy.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 1998

Thirty three members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons were surveyed to determine the clinical manifestations and current management of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS). The members completed a registration form and a questionnaire that indicated their treatment preferences for patients treated during 1996. The response rate was 84.8 %, and 23 institutions participated. Three hundred and sixty-three cases of IHPS were analysed. The male to female ratio was 5.15: 1. The presenting symptoms were nonbilious vomiting in 363 cases(100 %), palpable mass in the upper abdomen in 200 cases (55.1 %) and visible peristaltic waves in 67 cases(18.5 %). Fluid therapy was done in 161 cases(44.4 %) for preoperative preparation. Twenty patients(5.5 %) were premature. There were 27 low birth weight babies(7.7 %). The onset of symptoms ranged from 1 to 14 weeks of age with a peak occurrence at 2 to 4 weeks of age. Two hundred and thirty-six cases(66.6 %) presented within 4 weeks of age. There was one set of male twins and a family history of twins. The modes of feedings were: breast feeding; 69 cases(24.5 %), formula feeding; 176 cases(62.4 %) and mixed feeding; 37 cases(13.1 %). The preferred diagnostic modalities were ultrasonography (US) 229 cases(63.1 %), UGI series 27 cases(7.4%) and US and UGI series combined 86 cases(23.7 %). Only 21 cases(5.8 %) were operated on without imaging study, ie. with positive physical finding. Perforation of the mucosa during pyloromytomy occurred in 5 cases. All were treated successfully with primary closure. Persistent vomiting over 2 weeks after operation were reported in 5 cases. Three wound infections, one aspiration pneumonia and one postoperative bleeding were reported. There was no mortality in 363 cases.