A clinical case of stepwise correction of the chest wall complications after combined treatment for breast cancer

Abstract

Radiation-induced sternal osteomyelitis as a complication of combined therapy for breast cancer is quite rare. As a rule, these patients are treated not by oncologists, but by thoracic and general surgeons. We present a clinical case report of successful treatment of chronic radiation-induced sternal osteomyelitis in a 52-yearold woman, who developed it at 2 years after radical mastectomy for breast cancer. The patient recovered after long-term, stepwise treatment including surgical procedures. The infectious process was stopped by wound debridement and vacuum-assisted dressings. The reconstruction stage included the use of a flap from m. pectoralis major. Treatment of radiation-induced sternal osteomyelitis fits to a widely accepted algorithm of surgical care for patients with anterior thoracic wall infections; however, at each step of care the surgeon can come across difficulties related to the pathological effects of the ionizing radiation.

Keywords

• постлучевой остеомиелит грудины
• вакуум-ассистированные повязки
• миопластика грудной стенки