Large chest wall reconstruction using a pedicled osteomuscle composite flap: report of a case

A 67-year-old man with diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure underwent resection of a grade 1 chondrosarcoma. We performed chest wall reconstruction of the massive defect, using a pedicled osteomuscle composite flap comprising the 6th, 8th, and 10th ribs, and the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles. This flap is ready to mobilize as a pedicled graft to cover a large chest wall defect; it is strong enough to buttress the chest cage without the need for artificial materials, and it is associated with a lower risk of infection than prosthetic materials.