Anatomical study of Rubens’flap in breast reconstruction

• Main Authors: Ru Chen, Lan Mu, Han Zhang, Yan Zhang, Wen-Yue Liu, Yi-Ping Yan, Wei Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Board of Journal of Hainan Medical University 2019-09-01
• Series: Journal of Hainan Medical University
• Subjects: rubens’s flap; deep circumflex iliac artery; breast reconstruction; anatomy
• Online Access: http://www.hnykdxxb.com/PDF/201918/1.pdf

Objective: To investigate the anatomical basis of Rubens’flap based on the deep circumflex iliac artery, and to apply more donor site tissue amount for big chest wall defect. Methods: Gross anatomical study was carried on 8 sides of fresh specimens of 4 cases and data was measured by mean of the Vernier caliper. Besides, the surgical simulation was carried on 1 specimen (2 sides). Results: At the inguinal segment, the via artery gave off (9.16±6.22) branches; the diameter of the origin was (3.97±0.86) mm; the distance from starting point to the first branch was (15.87±9.24) mm; amount of osteomusculocutaneous branch was 3.12±1.34; the biggest diameter of perforator was (1.48±1.02) mm; pedicle length was (132.51±48.24) mm. In the surgical simulation, the layers of Ruben’s flap from up to down ranged in skin, subcutaneous tissue, obliquus externus abdominis, oblique internal abdominis and transversus abdominis. Conclusion: Rubens’flap, with large tissue amount, based on the deep circumflex iliac artery, near to traditional abdominal flap, has a good clinical application prospect in breast reconstruction and repair of big chest wall defect, for its thin waist effect and slight donor site defect.