Biomaterial Database

Late necrosis of a latissimus dorsi free flap. 1984

J Fisher, and M B Wood

We report a case of a latissimus dorsi free-muscle transfer that received isolated blunt trauma to the vascular pedicle 7 months after surgery. There was complete necrosis of this muscle unit, confirmed by biopsy. The muscle was tangentially excised, and a skin graft was successfully laid on the tissue beneath the muscle. Although this is an isolated case report, it raises interesting questions concerning the revascularization of free-tissue transfers. It is possible that because of significant flow rates in a small segment of tissue there is limited stimulation for revascularization to develop. What role smoking plays in this clinical situation also remains to be determined.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007866	Leg	The inferior part of the lower extremity between the KNEE and the ANKLE.	Legs
D008297	Male		Males
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009336	Necrosis	The death of cells in an organ or tissue due to disease, injury or failure of the blood supply.
D011183	Postoperative Complications	Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery.	Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001415	Back	The rear surface of an upright primate from the shoulders to the hip, or the dorsal surface of tetrapods.
D013524	Surgical Flaps	Tongues of skin and subcutaneous tissue, sometimes including muscle, cut away from the underlying parts but often still attached at one end. They retain their own microvasculature which is also transferred to the new site. They are often used in plastic surgery for filling a defect in a neighboring region.	Island Flap,Island Flaps,Flap, Surgical,Flaps, Surgical,Pedicled Flap,Surgical Flap,Flap, Island,Flap, Pedicled,Flaps, Island,Flaps, Pedicled,Pedicled Flaps
D014949	Wounds, Nonpenetrating	Injuries caused by impact with a blunt object where there is no penetration of the skin.	Blunt Injuries,Injuries, Nonpenetrating,Injuries, Blunt,Nonpenetrating Injuries,Blunt Injury,Injury, Blunt,Injury, Nonpenetrating,Nonpenetrating Injury,Nonpenetrating Wound,Nonpenetrating Wounds,Wound, Nonpenetrating