The serratus anterior free-muscle flap: experience with 100 consecutive cases

We report free serratus transplantation in 100 consecutive patients, 10 in combination with the latissimus muscle and 2 with rib. Transplantation was performed for extremity soft-tissue coverage, contour correction, and facial reanimation. Twenty-two patients received serratus transplantation as part of complex reconstruction requiring multiple microvascular transplants. Overall success was 99 percent, with a single flap failure. Four patients suffered partial flap loss. Emergent reexploration for suspected vascular occlusion was infrequent, required in six flaps (6.0 percent), with an 83 percent salvage rate. Significant complications occurred in 18 percent of recipient sites and 12 percent of donor sites, with eight patients developing seroma/hematoma. No scapular winging was noted, and all patients retained full shoulder range of motion. The serratus muscle flap is a highly reliable flap characterized by a consistently long pedicle, excellent malleability, and multipennate anatomy permitting coverage of complex three-dimensional wounds and consistent performance as a functional transplant. Underlying rib can be included as a myo-osseous flap to expand the versatility of this flap.