[Corrective surgery of thoracic anomalies in Poland syndrome. General review of 20 patients].

UNLABELLED: Breast and thoracic anomalies in Poland's syndrome, whether associated or not with hypoplasia of the upper limb, have no functional impairment. They present an important cosmetic disgrace. Several methods for correction were proposed: muscular transfer with or without implants. Each one has its advantages and drawbacks.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We operated 20 adolescents and adults with this deformity: 13 females and 7 males. If the inferior bundle of the pectoralis major was always absent, other muscular anomalies such as aplasia of the latissimus dorsi may complicate the corrective procedure. The choice of the treatment depends upon the importance of the muscular and sometimes associated costal aplasia, in the young girl, the breast development and in both sexes the position of the nipple.

RESULTS

The latissimus dorsi transfer may be considered as the most adapted technique for the pestoralis major replacement. The results are often disappointing due to the secondary muscular atrophy. A composite implant with a part for breast reconstruction and another to fill the subclavicular gap gives satisfactory results but it has the hazards of implants.