Evaluation of Abdominal Wall Function after TRAM Breast Reconstruction: A Prospective Study in 375 Consecutive Cases.

Kang, Byeong Su; Eom, Jin Sub; Lee, Taik Jong

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Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 2007;34(4):435-439.
Published online July 1, 2007.

Evaluation of Abdominal Wall Function after TRAM Breast Reconstruction: A Prospective Study in 375 Consecutive Cases.

Byeong Su Kang, Jin Sub Eom, Taik Jong Lee

Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. tjlee@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
TRAM flap surgery has settled down as a common method for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. We investigated how TRAM flap surgery influences on the patients' physical movement capability by observing their capability of sit-ups as well as exercises they usually enjoy. METHODS: A total of consecutive 375 patients were investigated who had breast reconstruction with unilateral pedicled TRAM flap surgery at Asan Medical Center from July 2001 to August 2005. The patients were asked to sit up right before the surgery and do it again 6 months later and 1 year later. 221 patients were followed up 6 month after the surgery. And 132 patients were followed up 1 year after the surgery. In addition, 155 patients who used to exercise before the surgery were also asked to show us the change in their physical movement capability one year after their surgery.
RESULTS
139 patients showed decrease in the counted number of sit-ups, 48 increase, and 34 showed no change between 6 months in the first group of 221 patients. Among the second group of 132 patients, 64 showed decrease, 39 increase, and 29 no change a year later. There was a statistical significant decrease in the number of sit-ups between pre-operation and six months later and between pre-operation and one year later. According to the research on the exercise that 155 patients participated, 3 of them showed improvement in athletic ability, 7 showed decrease, while the rest, 145 patients, showed no change at all.
CONCLUSION
Considering no difference in usual exercise ability, some patients' increase in the number of sit-ups and the effect of anticancer treatment, we found that the loss of abdominal wall function on this research is not too serious to exclude TRAM flap surgery in the field of breast reconstruction

Keywords: TRAM; Abdominal wall function; Sit-up

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