Abstract:
Introduction: Ionizing radiation used in radiotherapy causes
molecular changes both in cancerous cells and in healthy cells
alike, sometimes leading to soft tissue ulcerations and necrosis
which produces soft tissue defects that require reconstructive
plastic surgery.
Purpose: The elucidation of a clinical case of
reconstruction of a massive back defect that
resulted after oncological ablation, using the
latissimus dorsi flap.
Material and methods:The study includes a clinical case of a 56
years old female patient who developed a keratinizing
squamous cell carcinoma. After two rounds of radiotherapy and
two soft tissue ablations, the patient was hospitalized in our
clinic with a massive soft tissue defect on her back, where we
performed secondary surgical debridement and defect
reconstruction using a latissimus dorsi flap of 30 x 25 cm.
Results: The donor site was partially closed in the first step of
the surgery, and fully closed in a second step a week after,
using a skin graft. The postoperative period presented itself
without any vascular complications regarding both the flap and
donor site. At the 45th postoperative day the patient fully
recovered and returned to her usual lifestyle.
Conclusions:Radiotherapy related soft tissue defects present a
challenge for reconstructive plastic surgery and the use of
fasciocutanous axially vascularized flaps offers high quality
soft tissue for solving this problem.
Description:
State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemițeanu”, Clinic of
Plastic Surgery, Aesthetic Surgery and Reconstructive
Microsurgery, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Congresul consacrat aniversării a 75-a de la fondarea Universității de Stat de Medicină și Farmacie „Nicolae Testemițanu” din Republica Moldova, Ziua internațională a științei pentru pace și dezvoltare
