Latissimus dorsi flap after mastectomy surgery: case series

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Breast cancer can be treated with mastectomy surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal, radiation, and biological agent therapy. Surgery is the primary therapy for breast cancer. The most common surgical procedure is a mastectomy which can be continued with breast reconstruction after mastectomy surgery to improve the shape and close the breast defects. Breast reconstructions can be performed with breast implant surgery and autologous or “flap” reconstruction. Latissimus Dorsi (LD) flap is a pedicled flap often used for breast reconstruction. Mastectomy surgery and breast reconstruction complications are seromas, late hypertrophic scars, hematomas, pain, muscle weakness, and infections. This study aimed to describe the case series of latissimus dorsi flaps in breast cancer patients after mastectomy surgery. Case presentation: The author presents 6 cases of breast cancer patients after mastectomy surgery performed breast reconstruction using an LD flap. Five patients had a history of surgery on the abdomen, and one did not have a history of abdominal surgery but had planned pregnancy in the future. There were no complications after LD flap reconstruction surgery. LD flap surgery may be accompanied by implants so that the shape and size can be close to another breast, but related to the cost, and the patients refuse to use a breast implant. All patients were given chemotherapy before surgery. Conclusion: Breast reconstructive surgery is used to close defects after mastectomy surgery and can improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Pedicled LD flaps are one of the techniques often used for breast reconstruction cases because of rare complications of necrosis in the donor area or flaps.