NCT03428789

Nerve Coaptation in DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

Sensory Recovery of the Breast Following Innervated and Non-innervated DIEP Flap Breast Reconstructions

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 81 (actual)
• Sponsor: Maastricht University Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The sensory recovery of the breast remains an undervalued aspect of breast reconstruction and surgical reinnervation is not regarded as a priority by most reconstructive surgeons. A prospective study was conducted of all patients who underwent either innervated or non-innervated DIEP flap breast reconstruction in Maastricht University Medical Center and returned for follow-up between September 2015 and July 2017. Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments were used for sensory testing of the breast. This study showed that nerve coaptation in DIEP flap breast reconstruction resulted in a significantly improved sensation of the reconstructed breast compared to non-innervated flaps.

Conditions

• Breast Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Sensory nerve coaptation	A recipient sensory nerve of the abdomen was reattached to a donor nerve in the chest area. The sensory branch of usually the 11th intercostal nerve was used as recipient nerve for nerve coaptation and the anterior cutaneous branch of the third intercostal nerve was used as donor nerve. Direct, end-to-end nerve coaptation was performed with two stitches.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-09-01
• Primary completion: 2017-07-31
• Completion: 2017-07-31
• First posted: 2018-02-12
• Last updated: 2018-02-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands