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The basilic vein: An alternative drainage of DIEP flap in severe venous congestion
Author(s) -
Guzzetti Tommaso,
Thione Alessandro
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.20537
Subject(s) - medicine , venous congestion , basilic vein , diep flap , surgery , vein , drainage , cancer , breast cancer , ecology , biology , breast reconstruction
The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap has become a major advance in autologous breast reconstruction, offering all the advantages of free TRAM flap with less donor‐site morbidity and postoperative pain. The major drawback threatening the DIEP flap procedure is venous congestion, with potential partial or complete flap loss. Many authors reported different surgical tips aiming to solve this setback, including secondary anastomosis of deep inferior superficial epigastric vein with alternative venous outflow vessels. We present a case report of a DIEP flap salvaged by an alternative venous anastomosis, after comitant veins of the primary anastomosis widely thrombosed a few hours postoperatively. A venous bypass using ipsilateral basilica vein and superficial inferior epigastric vein was fashioned. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2008.