Intentional Lower Pole Rotation of Anatomic Breast Implants in Chest Wall Deformities

• Main Authors: Alice Thuerlimann, MD, Mathias Tremp, MD, Carlo M. Oranges, MD, Dirk J. Schaefer, MD, Daniel F. Kalbermatten, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer 2017-12-01
• Series: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open
• Online Access: http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000001605

Summary:. Several methods have been described for the correction of congenital thoracic wall deformities. Our aim was to investigate the feasibility and clinical results of using standard anatomic breast implants with modified anatomic positioning according to the defect in congenital thoracic wall deformities. Between 2014 and 2015, 5 patients diagnosed with pectus excavatum (PE, n = 4) or pectus carinatum (PC, n = 1) and breast asymmetry or hypoplasia were evaluated. In all patients, a submammary incision and dual-plane subpectoral placement of texturized, anatomic implants were performed. In patients with PE, the lower pole of the implant was positioned medially to compensate for the caved chest. In patients with PC, the lower pole of the anatomic implant was positioned laterally to compensate for the prominent sternum. Outcome measures were satisfaction, minor and major complications, and morbidity. The mean surgery time was 95 ± 14 minutes, and the mean implant volume was 287 ± 56 cm3 (273 ± 60 cm3 on the right side and 305 ± 60 cm3 on the left side). After a median follow-up of 25 months (range: 2–35), all patients healed uneventfully, and a satisfactory correction of the thoracic wall deformity was achieved. Thus, by adjusting the lower pole of anatomic breast implants in a horizontal plane according to the thoracic defect, we showed satisfactory results. Our technique has a low complication rate and can be recommended for the correction of mild to moderate PE or PC.