ABSTRACT
Background: Hypotonic pharmacologic lipodissolution (HPL) has gained popularity as a treatment for abdominal fat reduction, especially among Asian individuals. However, research on the effect of HPL on abdominal vascularity and abdominal autologous tissue flap are limited. Case Description: This case report describes a patient who underwent HPL treatment in November 2022 and subsequently underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy with free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction on April 4, 2023. The preoperative evaluation included computed tomography (CT) angiography to assess the viability of abdominal perforators and vasculature for TRAM flap reconstruction. Intraoperatively, indocyanine green (ICG) fluoroscopy was performed after TRAM flap elevation to evaluate flap perfusion. The findings revealed compromised skin-side perfusion but satisfactory deep layer perfusion, with subdermal plexus perfusion observed during de-epithelialization. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in nipple sparing mastectomy cases with minimal skin flap preservation requirements, a history of HPL may have less negative impact on TRAM flap reconstruction. However, in skin sparing mastectomy cases with extensive skin flap preservation needs, careful assessment, including preoperative CT angiography and intraoperative ICG imaging, is essential to minimize the risk of partial flap necrosis.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) is primarily used for treating early-stage lymphedema. Here, we aimed to investigate the relationship between lymphatic flow velocity and the efficacy of LVA in breast cancer-related lymphedema patients. To this end, we assessed the transit velocity of lymphatic fluid using indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography and radioisotope lymphoscintigraphy. METHODS: We retrospectively examined patients diagnosed with breast cancer-related lymphedema who underwent LVA from January to December 2020. Patient data, including demographics, clinical stage, and postoperative surgical outcomes, were collected from electronic medical records. ICG lymphography results and dynamic lymphoscintigrams were analyzed to measure the lymphatic flow velocity and to determine the grade of the limb lymphedemas. RESULTS: Eighty patients (all female, mean age of 53.6 years) were included. The lymphatic flow velocity ranged between 0.58 and 21.5 cm/min (average, 7.61 cm/min); 37 (46.3%), 18 (22.5%), 15 (18.8%), and 10 (12.5%) arm lymphedemas were classified as lymphoscintigraphy grade 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A significant association was observed between lymphatic flow velocity and lymphedema grade determined using lymphoscintigraphy and between the amount of volume reduction after LVA and preoperative lymphatic flow velocity (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that lymphatic flow velocity is positively correlated with surgical outcomes in patients undergoing LVA. Therefore, surgical treatment plans for lymphedema should not be based only on the International Society of Lymphedema stage, because advanced-stage lymphedema patients with high ICG velocities can benefit from LVA alone.
