title: Accidental latissimus dorsi flap pedicle avulsion during immediate breast reconstruction: salvage by conversion to free flap.
abstract: Pedicle damage is a rare complication of latissimus dorsi (LD) flap breast reconstruction. We report a case of accidental avulsion of the vascular pedicle of a totally autologous (extended) LD flap during immediate breast reconstruction in a patient who had previously undergone contralateral breast reconstruction with a pedicled TRAM flap based on the opposite superior epigastric vessels. The intra-operative strategy to salvage the avulsed LD flap by conversion to a free flap while not compromising the contralateral breast reconstruction is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martano
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Malata
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods