ABSTRACT
Objective To summarize the experience in nursing the patients undergoing soft tissue defect repair using expanded flap after surgery of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Methods Thirteen LABC patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Water balloon dilator was used to expand flap before the chemotherapy and expanded flap was used to repair the soft tissue defect after modified radical mastectomy . Skin preparation and psychological counseling were well prepared before operation . During therapy , more attention was paid to injection pot , abdominal wall flap and water injection and the nursing of the expanded flaps after repair . Results The water balloon dilator implantation for all patients was successful and soft tissues of chest wall defect were completely repaired . There wasn't flap necrosis or implantation metastasis in 0 . 5 to 2 years follow-up . Conclusion Expand flap can repair defect of chest wall after modified radical mastectomy . The nursing measures of perioperative nursing including implantation of expander , observation of the expanded flap variations during expanding of water sac and nursing of expanded flaps are important for the success of repair .