LATISSIMUS-DORSI BREAST RECONSTRUCTION - LONG-TERM RESULTS AND RETURNOF SENSIBILITY

The long-term results of 44 patients who underwent breast reconstructi on after mastectomy with latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flaps with endoprostheses were studied. Good symmetry without a brassiere was ach ieved in 15 patients, slight asymmetry in 24 and poor symmetry in five (11%). Symmetry when a brassiere was worn was acceptable in all but o ne of the patients (43/44). A third of the patients (n = 13) had devel oped unacceptable (grade III or IV) capsular contraction, but 39 (89%) of the patients studied were satisfied with the long-term reconstruct ion. Cutaneous sensibility, measured by von Frey's test, had returned to 28 (64%) of the cutaneous skin islands, to their medial parts in pa rticular. The als in patients who had received concentrated radiation or who had large prostheses remained numb. Sensation was normal in the scars of the donor areas in all but three patients. Latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction with an endoprosthesis is safe and simple. It gi ves a subjectively satisfactory result in nine out of 10 patients and is therefore a valuable method of reconstruction after mastectomy.