Reconstruction after major chest wall resection: Can rigid fixation be avoided?

BACKGROUND: Rigid fixation is advocated as the best method to achieve good respiratory outcomes after chest wall resection at the expense of a high complication rate. The following study aims to examine the role of myocutaneous pedicled flaps, with or without soft prosthesis, in the reconstruction of small and large chest wall defects. METHODS: All patients who underwent resection of chest wall tumors between 2003-2010 were identified from a …