Anatomical Landmarks for Chest Wall Perforators Used for Partial Breast Reconstruction

NCT ID: NCT07006662

Last Updated: 2026-02-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-04-01
• Study Completion Date: 2027-12-01

Brief Summary

The aim of this 6-month proof-of-concept study is to map out the chest wall perforators in relation to anatomical landmarks for partial breast reconstruction.

Detailed Description

Breast conserving surgery is commonly performed in patients with breast cancer. It is important to fill the defect from a breast conserving procedure to achieve good cosmetic outcome. This defect can be filled either by using the adjacent breast tissue or by using perforator flaps; commonly taken from the area posterolateral to the breast or or below the inframammary crease. These perforator flaps can be based on thoracodorsal artery, lateral thoracic artery, lateral intercostal artery or the medial intercostal artery. The identification of these perforators using a hand-held doppler is an important but time-consuming intraoperative step. Surgeons often use the information derived from cadaveric studies when identifying these perforators as there is minimal information on the location of these perforators in relation to anatomical landmarks.

Patients with a BMI of < 25 Kg/m2admitted for elective breast surgery or attending breast outpatients' clinic will be included in the study. Patients will be sent information about this study prior to admission or the clinic appointment with a copy of the consent form. Participants will have a 30-minute assessment using a hand held doppler and perforators will be mapped against soft tissue and bony landmarks. Data will be analysed to identify common anatomical locations for the different chest wall perforators.

Conditions

Breast Cancer Female

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_ONLY
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients undergoing elective breast surgery
• Age ≥ 18 years
• Female
• BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2
• Willing and able to give fully informed consent,
• Willing and able to comply with the study procedures

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant patients
• Previous bilateral Breast or axillary surgery
• Undergoing bilateral oncoplastic procedure or requiring bilateral pre-operative marking
• Undergoing breast surgery requiring pre-operative marking of some of the landmarks and has had contralateral breast or axillary surgery in the past
• Surgery planned within 24 hours of screening for eligibility
• Known history of allergy or contact dermatitis to ultrasound gels

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

Stoke-on-Trent, , United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Central Contacts

Aviva Ogbolosingha

Role: CONTACT

aviva.ogbolosingha@uhnm.nhs.uk

01782675380

Facility Contacts

Aviva Ogbolosingha

Role: primary

aviva.ogbolosingha@uhnm.nhs.uk

01782 ext. 675380

Other Identifiers

3427

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id