Rhomboid perforator flap for a large skin defect due to lumbosacral meningocele: a simple and reliable modification

To date, very few studies have reported the use of perforator flaps in newborn infants with an immature vascular system. Therefore, it is not clear whether perforator flaps can be used in newborns, as in adults. In this study, we applied the perforator flap procedure to a newborn infant, who had a large skin defect due to lumbosacral meningocele. We used the rhomboid perforator flap, which was a combination of using a rhomboid flap reported by Ohtsuka et al and preserving paraspinal perforator vessels according to Thomas. Although perforator vessels were so thin as to necessitate careful dissection and flap design, a good result was obtained by this procedure. We consider that the rhomboid perforator flap is a simple and reliable procedure for the treatment of lumbosacral meningocele.