[Reconstructive operations using the latissimus dorsi muscle for correcting the postmastectomy syndrome]

26 patients with postmastectomy syndrome were examined. Myocutaneous latissimus dorsi flaps on vascular or muscular pedicle were used in the reconstruction of large areas of soft tissue in axillary space and frontal chest wall. The flaps were completely assimilated in 10 cases and particularly necrotized in 2 cases due to the insufficient width of muscular pedicles which caused damage to the thoracodorsal artery.