Abstract:Objective:To explore the cause and prevention of skin flap necrosis after radical operation for breast cancer and reduce the incidence of skin flap necrosis.
Methods :The data of 158 patients with breast cancer who had surgical treatment were analysed. The data included the thickness of the skin flap, tension of the skin flap, and the mode of the operation and their relation with necrosis of the skin flap.
Results:Among the 158 operated cases, 32 cases (20.25%) had skin flap necrosis. The incidence of the flap necrosis in the thick skin flap group was lower than in the thin skin flap group (10.87%vs28.95%,P<0.05). In the thick skin flap group, the incidence of the flap necrosis in the high tension flap group was higher than in the low tension group (21.43%vs2.00%,P<0.05). In the thin flap group, there was no significant difference between high tension group and low tension group.
Conclusions:The results suggest that the key in prevention of skin flap necrosis is proper thickness of skin flap，perfect suture without tension，prevention of axillary lymphatic leakage and single porous tubular drainage.