Ischemic complications in pedicle, free, and muscle sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps for breast reconstruction

Muscle sparing and perforator flaps techniques for breast reconstruction have focused in reducing the donor site morbidity. Theoretically this may result in a less robust blood supply to the flap. The purpose of this study was to assess flap ischemic complications with the pedicle, free, and the different muscle sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAMs) flaps for breast reconstruction and determine the factors associated with these complications. A total of 301 consecutive patients that underwent 399 breast reconstructions were retrospectively reviewed. Patient, oncologic, and reconstruction data were recorded. A flap ischemic complication scale was design including: wound healing problems, skin flap necrosis, fat necrosis, partial flap loss, and total flap loss. Analysis of donor site complications, bilateral and unilateral reconstructions were also performed. There were 147 pedicle TRAM and 154 free TRAM with the following subgroup distribution: MS-0 = 102; MS-1 = 37; and MS-2 = 15 patients. The groups were comparable in relation to age, comorbidities, cancer stage, and treatment. The overall complication rate after reconstruction had no statistical differences between the groups. The variables related to flap ischemia were statistically lower in the free TRAM. Mild and severe fat necrosis were the indicators with a statistical difference. The MS-0 group had lower ischemic complications and fat necrosis than the pedicled group, but no differences were observed for the MS-1 and MS-2 groups. The same results were seen in the unilateral reconstructions but not in the bilateral ones. No differences in donor site bulging or hernia were observed between the groups. In our study, the free TRAM flap demonstrated lower ischemic complications than the pedicle TRAM. A trend for decreased flap blood supply when more muscle is preserved and less number of perforators are used with a constant tissue volume was observed.