Propeller Dorsal Intercostal Artery Perforator Flap for an Extensive Defect on the Back Following Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Resection: A Case Report

Abstract

Posterior trunk defects have been a challenging anatomical area to cover in reconstructive surgery. The use of local myocutaneous flaps has been described extensively in the literature to cover these defects, but these techniques are associated with significant donor-site morbidity, including functional loss of muscle units. Freestyle perforator flaps enable local tissue recruitment with skin of a similar color and texture in diverse anatomic areas, but there is a shortage of case series on posterior trunk defects using propeller dorsal intercostal artery perforator (DICAP) flaps, particularly when the defects are extensive. In this report, the authors present a successful case of a DICAP propeller flap for an extensive defect on the upper back following a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor resection.