Sternal resection and reconstruction for metastasis due to breast cancer: the Marlex sandwich technique and implantation of a pedicled latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap

The treatment of hemotogenous solitary sternal metastases by breast cancer remains a controversial issue. Sternal resection for select patients might provide good long-term local control.

A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a mass at the sternum and right second to third costochondral cartilage. She had undergone bilateral mastectomy for breast cancer 13 years earlier. A percutaneous biopsy was performed, and the mass was diagnosed as solitary metastasis due to breast cancer. She received two courses of weekly paclitaxel and bevacizumab, and computed tomography (CT) revealed shrinking of the mass in the sternum. We performed surgical resection with curative intent for a multimodality approach. Parasternectomy and removal of the right second and third costochondral cartilage was performed. A prosthesis was created to fill the defect by sandwiching molded methylmethacrylate between polypropylene mesh. The prosthesis was fixed to the cut ends of the costochondral cartilage and the residual sternum. Finally, a harvested latissimus dorsi myoctaneous flap was transpositioned to cover the chest midline wound. Negative surgical margins at the stump of the sternum and costochondral cartilage were revealed.

Parasternal resection and reconstruction by the Marlex sandwich technique and implantation of a pedicled latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap for metastasis due to breast cancer was safely performed.