Coverage of exposed pericardium with a lateral thoracic artery perforator flap

Abstract

Electricity is an indispensable part of the society that we live in, depending on it from household appliances to farms and industries. Electrical burn injuries, although form a small proportion of the total burn cases, pose significant challenges in their management due to their varied manifestations and the high associated morbidity and mortality. Most high voltage electrical injuries are work related. The entry wounds are most commonly seen over the upper extremities, whereas the exit wounds are seen over the lower extremities. The thorax presents an uncommon site for an entry wound. In this case report, the authors present one such case of electrical injury with an entry wound over the thorax presenting as a left parasternal defect that was debrided and covered successfully with a lateral thoracic artery perforator-based flap from the lateral chest wall.