ArticleCureus2025
A Comparative Analysis Between Vertical Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (VRAM) Flap and Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (TRAM) Flap as Options for Post-mastectomy Chest Wall Reconstruction.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background Oncoplastic breast reconstruction mitigates chest wall deformities following mastectomy or post-radiation therapy after lumpectomy. It is associated with lower morbidity, improved quality of life, and more natural aesthetic outcomes compared to traditional techniques. While free flaps yield excellent cosmetic results, their reliance on advanced microsurgical expertise poses challenges in resource-limited settings. In such contexts, pedicled flaps like the Vertical Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (VRAM) and Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps provide safe, reliable alternatives. Patients and methods This retrospective observational study analysed 45 patients who underwent post-mastectomy chest wall reconstruction at Medical College Hospital, Kolkata, between October 2020 and March 2024. Twenty-three patients received VRAM flaps (Group A), and twenty-two received TRAM flaps (Group B). The groups were compared regarding the timing of adjuvant therapy initiation, postoperative complications, donor-site morbidity, recurrence rates, and adequacy of tissue coverage. Results Adjuvant therapy was initiated in 21/23 (91.3%) of Group A (95% CI: 73.2% to 97.6%) compared to 11/22 (50.0%) of Group B (95% CI: 30.7% to 69.3%) (p=0.02). Flap necrosis occurred in 2/23 (8.7%) of Group A (95% CI: 2.4% to 26.8%) vs. 11/22 (50.0%) of Group B (95% CI: 30.7% to 69.3%) (p=0.01). Donor-site skin necrosis was absent in Group A 0/23 (0.0%) (95% CI: 0.0% to 14.3%) but occurred in 7/22 (31.8%) of Group B (95% CI: 16.4% to 52.7%) (p=0.02). Umbilical necrosis and activity limitation were only reported in Group B, each in 2/22 (9.1%) of patients (95% CI for both: 2.5% to 27.8%). Both groups achieved complete defect coverage and had no recurrences at six months. Conclusion VRAM flaps offer superior outcomes in terms of reduced postoperative complications and earlier initiation of adjuvant therapy, making them preferable in resource-constrained environments. However, longer follow-up and larger cohorts are needed to validate these findings.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.