Coverage an irradiated wound of the lower lumbar area with a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous free flap by lengthening the vascular pedicle with interpositional vein grafts

• Published in: Annales de chirurgie plastique et esthétique 2005-02, Vol.50 (1), p.80
• Main Authors: Duroure, F, Fadhul, S, Fyad, J-P, Stricker, M, Simon, E
• Format: Article
• Language: fre
• Subjects: Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Lumbosacral Region - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoradionecrosis - surgery; Radiation Injuries - surgery; Radiotherapy - adverse effects; Radiotherapy Dosage; Seminoma - radiotherapy; Surgical Flaps - blood supply; Testicular Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0294-1260

Reconstruction of radionecrosis of the lower lumbar area is a challenging problem because of the difficulty of mobilization of the irradiated local tissues, absence of a reliable locoregional procedures and prolongation of the receiving vessels of the free flaps. The ideal treatment is a wide excision of the irradiated tissues and an immediate reconstruction in one step, which is better to be done by using a musculocutaneous flap. The latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap is ideal for this indication. The authors prefer to do the revascularization of the latissimus dorsi flap by its'thoracodorsal pedicle because of the possibility to have a high pressure blood flow which allow to use long venous bypass, the exposure of the recipient vessels at the same time of dissecting the flap and to have the anastamosis site away from the irradiated tissue. The authors are presenting their experience in treating a case of radionecrosis in the lower lumbar region with exposed vertebrae by a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous free flap with exposed vertebrae by a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous free flap with the lengthening of its'pedicle by two 30 cm interposition saphenous vein grafts.