title: The thoracodorsal artery perforator flap in the treatment of axillary hidradenitis suppurativa: effect on preservation of arm abduction.
abstract: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by abscesses and scars. The axillary region is predominantly affected, leading to limited mobility of the arm due to scar retraction. This prospective study aimed to analyze the surgical treatment of severe lesions of axillary hidradenitis suppurativa by using the thoracodorsal artery perforator flap while focusing on the preservation of arm abduction. We enrolled 12 patients with severe axillary hidradenitis suppurativa who underwent bilateral surgical treatment of their lesions by radical excision, followed by immediate reconstruction with the thoracodorsal artery perforator flap. The amplitude of arm abduction was measured preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively by goniometry, and statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test. Preoperative and 6-month postoperative mean amplitude of arm abduction were 98.7 degrees and 152.7 degrees, respectively, with a significant mean increase of 54 degrees (p<0.0001). The thoracodorsal artery perforator flap can be used as a good option for axillary reconstruction after radical excision of severe lesions of hidradenitis suppurativa, and its use would allow a significant increase in the amplitude of arm abduction. It has several other advantages when compared with other types of coverage, including its anatomical proximity to the axilla, similar thickness, and high-quality skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, V.
authors.affiliation: São Paulo, Brazil From the Division of Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.
authors.forename: Fábio F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Busnardo
authors.forename: Pedro S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Coltro
authors.forename: Marcelo V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Olivan
authors.forename: Ana Paula V
authors.initials: APV
authors.lastname: Busnardo
authors.forename: Marcus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012785:Shoulder Joint; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome