The latissimus myocutaneous flap is an effective flap to help close mastectomy defects or to improve the overall quality of the overlying mastectomy skin.
One challenge with mastectomy breast reconstruction is the durability and quality of the mastectomy skin. Skin that has been radiated or skin that is thin is more prone to cellulitis, wound dehiscence, and other complications. When a wound opens an exposes the underlying implant, it can become challenging to salvage the exposed implant.
The latissimus dorsi flap allows the reconstructive surgeon to bring additional healthy skin and muscle to the anterior chest. This can help provide additional skin to close tight wound dehiscence, or additional muscle to cover the breast implant.
The photograph demonstrates before and after bilateral mastectomy reconstruction with implants and right latissimus dorsi flap for a wound dehiscence. The overlying mastectomy skin improves in quality with the muscle beneath.
