BACKGROUND: There are various methods to design mastectomy flaps but few are standardized. Lateral skin folds or 'dog ears' are a common, unsightly and uncomfortable consequence following a surgery in overweight patients. METHODS: We describe a simple technique for designing mastectomy flaps and a method to eliminate the lateral dog ear. CONCLUSION: The design is easy to apply and may enable standardization. Heuristics of mastectomy design should be standardized and included in surgical training.
BACKGROUND: There are various methods to design mastectomy flaps but few are standardized. Lateral skin folds or 'dog ears' are a common, unsightly and uncomfortable consequence following a surgery in overweight patients. METHODS: We describe a simple technique for designing mastectomy flaps and a method to eliminate the lateral dog ear. CONCLUSION: The design is easy to apply and may enable standardization. Heuristics of mastectomy design should be standardized and included in surgical training.
Authors: Daniel Steffens; Elisabeth A Kappos; Alexander Lunger; Fabienne D Schwab; Lea Zehnpfennig; Walter Paul Weber; Martin Haug; Viola Heinzelmann-Schwarz; Christian Kurzeder Journal: World J Surg Oncol Date: 2022-02-21 Impact factor: 2.754