Comparison of Strategies for Preventing Abdominal-Wall Weakness after TRAM Flap Breast Reconstruction

To determine the best method for preserving abdominal-wall integrity after TRAM flap breast reconstruction, the records of 130 patients followed for at least 6 months (mean 18 months) were examined. Three strategies for management of the abdominal-wall repair were compared. In the first group (72 patients), the entire width of the rectus abdominis muscle was harvested with the flap, and the anterior rectus sheath was closed in one layer. In the second group (20 patients), only the medial two-thirds of the rectus abdominis muscle was removed from the abdomen. The muscle and fascial donor defects were closed in separate layers. In the third group (38 patients), only one-fifth of the muscle was preserved, and a two-layered fascial closure of the anterior rectus sheath was performed, emphasizing repair of the internal oblique fascia to the midline fascia deep to the linea alba. Reinforcing synthetic mesh was used (in 10 patients) if closure was difficult or sutures tended to pull through the fascia. The incidence of abdominal weakness and/or bulging was similar in the first two groups (33 and 40 percent, respectively), but significantly lower (8 percent) in the third group (p = 0.006).