Advantages of using intercostal vessels as the recipients for free flaps covering lumbar defects

Anatomic conditions in the lumbar region can complicate procedures for covering defects. In particular, a free flap is often required when the defect is large, in which case suitable recipient vessels must be found to insure revascularization. This report concerns a 50-year-old woman with multiple basal-cell carcinomas in the lumbar radiodermatitis zone, who underwent a large resection from D10 to S2. The defect was repaired using a free latissimus dorsi flap revascularized by microvascular anastomosis to the 8(th) intercostal pedicle. The advantages of using these recipient vessels are then considered relative to reports in the literature.