The application of local rotating flap and latissimus dorsi flap in thoracic deformity correction

Wound healing problem is one of the main complications after correction of chest wall deformity. Orthopedic flap tissue repair technique has a clear significance in non-healing wound and defect wound and provides a new choice for poor wound healing after orthopedic surgery of chest wall deformity.

To investigate, the application value of modified local rotary flap and latissimus dorsi myocutcutaneous flap in the treatment of poor wound healing after orthodontic treatment of chest wall deformity.

A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who admitted to our department from August 2012 to November 2019 due to non-healing incision after surgery for thoracic deformity. Skin flap was selected according to the size of the wound surface, and the effect of skin flap repair was observed. The clinical data of the included patients were recorded, and the preoperative and postoperative wound conditions were evaluated.

This study included 13 patients with chest wall deformity who received plastic surgery tissue using flap technique for wound repair, 11 cases used modified local rotation skin flap, and 2 cases used modified latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. The mean age of the 13 patients was 18.54 ± 4.14 years old, the mean body mass index (BMI) was 17.02 ± 2.16 kg/m² , and the mean preoperative nonunion time of the incision was 64.77 ± 93.01 days. Five patients had positive bacteria culture on the wound surface, including 3 cases of Staphylococcus aureus, 1 case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 1 case of Staphylococcus epidermidis. All the 13 patients achieved primary grade A healing.

The modified local rotary flap and latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap have a significant effect on the postoperative correction of chest wall deformity, which can ensure wound healing while retaining the orthopedic plate to the maximum extent to ensure the effect of the correction.