Immediate transposition of a latissimus dorsi muscle for correcting a postquadrantectomy breast deformity in Japanese patients.

With the aim of improving cosmetics after quadrantectomy, an immediate transposition of latissimus dorsi muscle was carried out. Cosmetic breast changes in transposed and non-transposed patients were evaluated by a Moire topography camera. To date, the breast deformity in five patients has been corrected only by conization of the residual breast tissue, and the breast deformity in the other five patients has been corrected by transposed latissimus dorsi muscle. Postoperative appearance and topography showed satisfactory symmetry of breasts in the transposed patients, when compared with the non-transposed patients. We conclude that the immediate transposition of latissimus dorsi muscle is useful for preventing post-quadrantectomy breast deformity.