[Breast repair using a silicone gel-filled prosthesis. Report of 21 cases].

From March 1985 to May 1988, a total of 32 breast repairs in 21 patients following mastectomy were performed in our hospital. The operative procedures included: immediate prosthesis insertion following subcutaneous mastectomy in 16 patients; subsequent prosthesis implantation following simple mastectomy in 4 patients; a transfer of latissimus dorsi skin-muscle flap with submuscular placement of prosthesis subsequent to the radical mastectomy in 1 patient. The chief indications for mastectomy are: multiple fibroadenomas, giant fibroadenoma, severe fibrocystic mastopathy and cystosarcoma phyllodes and so on. After a period of 1-38 months follow-up postoperatively, the results were satisfactory with no significant complications. It is believed that the breast repair by utilizing silicone gel-filled implant following mastectomy is a safe, reliable and more effective procedure, and is reasonable to extend its indication in latter clinical application.