Repair of chest wall defects after irradiation for breast cancer.

A simple technique using a contralateral deltopectoral flap is described for the immediate repair of defects of the chest wall resulting from excision of radionecrosis or persistent tumour after radiotherapy. Successful use in 3 consecutive cases has shown that the deltopectoral flap may be rotated through a full 180 degrees without compromise of blood supply and that primary healing may be obtained.