Transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap is the most common procedure performed for breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. Obesity is a relative contraindication, and complex modifications have been proposed in the pedicled technique for obese patients. We studied ischemic complications in our patients to investigate the effect of body weight on the outcome of TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Pertinent data from medical records of patients receiving a TRAM flap surgery from 1986 to 2011 were extracted. Patients were divided into three groups based on the body mass index (BMI): normal (<25 kg/m(2)), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese (>30 kg/m(2)). Flap necrosis is defined as any visible nonviable tissue in the reconstructed breast. It was observed that 117 patients had received TRAM flap reconstruction. Fifty-eight patients were excluded. Of the remaining 59 cases, 24 had normal BMI, 21 were overweight, and 14 were obese. No patient was found to develop flap necrosis. Outcome of TRAM flap breast reconstruction in obese patients is similar to nonobese patients. No major necrosis in need of reoperation was identified in the studied obese patients. It was concluded that categorizing obesity as a relative contraindication to TRAM flap breast reconstruction should be revisited based on larger cohort studies.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Breast neoplasm; Breast reconstruction; Obesity; TRAM flap.