Worldwide first experiences with vacuum-assisted closure as alternative treatment method to repair defects of an extended thoracic wall recurrence of breast cancer

Loco-regional recurrences of the breast cancer are associated with a bad prognosis. Often costly autologous-tissue treatment as a surgery aiming at repairing the defects is necessary. Four female patients were treated with the vacuum-assisted closure (VAC)-system in context with the recurrence resection. In all cases a primary local masking was not possible. In the described cases the wounds healed well during the post-operative phase. There occurred no problems either during the radiation treatment or during chemotherapy in the case of lying VAC-Systems. Using vacuum-assisted wound closure one can avoid autologous-tissue treatment in the case of extensive loco-regional recurrences.