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The transverse upper gracilis flap for breast reconstruction following liposuction of the thigh
Author(s) -
SaintCyr Michel,
Shirvani Arash,
Wong Corrine
Publication year - 2010
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.20814
Subject(s) - medicine , liposuction , breast reconstruction , medial compartment of thigh , thigh , surgery , upper abdomen , abdomen , perforator flaps , plastic surgery , anatomy , breast cancer , cancer
A particular flap with rising prominence in breast reconstruction is the transverse upper gracilis (TUG) flap. With the increasing prevalence of patients opting for various forms of elective liposuctions, breast reconstruction with flaps has necessitated a more meticulous yet perhaps more flexible screening for potential donor sites. We present a case of a bilateral breast reconstruction using TUG flaps in a patient with a previous history of liposuction to her abdomen and thighs. The dimensions of the TUG flaps were 7 × 31 cm 2 . The patient did not undergo any flap or donor site complications. We speculate that perhaps much of the tissue and muscle in the medial thigh region is more robust than previously thought and that there is high potential for neo‐vascularization in the thigh region following a liposuction. Accordingly, we advocate the effective use of the TUG flap for breast reconstruction in spite of previous liposuctions to the thighs. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2010.