Reverse turnover pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap for lower back reconstruction: Two case reports

Large soft tissue defects on the lower back represent a treatment challenge. Among a variety of reconstructive procedures, the latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle or musculocutaneous flap is one of most frequently used pedicled flaps. However, the pedicled LD flap carries a bulky pivot point and a short arc of rotation. If a pedicled LD muscle flap is transferred using a reverse turnover pattern, theses drawbacks can be avoided.

The first patient was a 56-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma and multiple bone metastases involving D11-L4 vertebral bodies. A chronic ulcer was developed on his lower back area after palliative radiation therapy for bone metastases. The second patient was a 41-year-old man with a soft tissue mass on his lower back, which was diagnosed as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans via previous incisional biopsy. A large soft tissue defect was developed on his lower back as a result of a wide resection.

Both patients were referred to our department for the treatment of a large soft tissue defect on lower back.

They underwent the reverse turnover pedicled LD muscle flap and split-thickness skin graft.

At postoperative 6-month follow-up, both patients remained free of wound problem.

The reverse turnover pedicled LD muscle flap is quite straightforward. Even if a soft tissue defect in the lower back is large or complicated by infection or radiation therapy, perfusion of LD by posterior intercostal arteries is likely to be preserved. We recommend the reverse turnover pedicled LD muscle flap as an effective alternative for reconstruction of soft tissue defects involving the lower back.