To explore the feasibility and cosmetic effect of lateral thoracodorsal fasciocutaneous flap for repairing local defects in lateral breast quadrant.

The clinical data of 46 patients with breast diseases in lateral breast quadrant, including 30 patients with breast cancer, 10 granulomatous mastitis and 6 borderline phyllodes tumors, in the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, First People’s Hospital of Chenzhou from July 2016 to July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into two groups: observation group and control group. In all 26 patients of observation group, local defect was repaired with the lateral thoracodorsal fasciocutaneous flap. In all 20 patients of control group, the lipofascial flap around the incision edge was used to repair local defect. t test was used to compare age, tumor diameter, residual cavity size, incision length, operation time, blood loss and drainage tube duration between two groups.χ² test was used to compare tumor location, TNM stage and complication rate between two groups. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare postoperative cosmetic effect between two groups.

There was no significant difference in age, tumor diameter, residual cavity size, tumor location and TNM stage between two groups, indicating comparability. There was a significant difference in incision length and drainage tube duration between two groups (t=18.143, 2.197; P all<0.050). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.4% (4/26) in observation group and 20.0% (4/20) in control group, indicating no significant difference between two groups (χ²=0.000, P=0.986). The evaluation of postoperative cosmetic effect showed that the proportion of patients with excellent and good cosmetic effect was 96.2%(25/26)in observation group, and 70%(14/20)in control group, indicating a significant difference between two groups (χ²=4.138, P=0.042). There was a signifcant difference in postoperative cosmetic effect between two groups (H=6.528, P=0.038). All patients were followed up for median 24 months (range: 12 to 36 months), and no local recurrence or distant metastasis was observed.

The surgical repair of local defects in lateral breast quadrant using lateral thoracodorsal fasciocutaneous flap is feasible, easy to operate, with small trauma, occult incision and good cosmetic effect, which is worthy of clinical application.