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Staging CTA Incidental Findings: An Institutional Retrospective Chart Review
Sindhu Subramanian, Andrew Beard, Jordan Chessar, Derek Cody
Summa Health
2025-01-09
Presenter: Sindhu Subramanian
Affidavit:
100% original work of fellow.
Director Name: Ananth Murthy
Author Category: Fellow Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Breast (Aesthetic and Recon.)
The Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator (DIEP) flap is a preferred procedure for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction patients. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is often utilized prior to DIEP flaps to preoperatively map arteries and perforators. In comparison to the commonly used Doppler ultrasound, CTA provides higher quality imaging, enhances surgical planning, reduces operative time, lowers complication rates, and improves patient outcomes. Additionally, the utilization of CTA helps to reveal incidental findings or "incidentalomas" which may impact the surgical planning of the procedure. However, current research is limited due to small sample sizes which exhibit conflicting evidence on the clinical significance of incidentalomas found by CTA. The goal of this study is to expand the data on the significance of preoperative CTA on the DIEP flap procedure with findings from our institution. The patient data collected over a nine year time period at our institution will yield various incidentalomas that were found on imaging, the significance of these findings and how they changed patient outcomes. This research plans to improve the understanding of the role of CTA in optimizing outcomes, planning, and patient care in DIEP flap breast reconstruction.
