Transfer of pedicled musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap for restoration of shoulder contour after neurogenic atrophy.

Abstract

Neurogenic atrophy of the deltoid muscle due to brachial plexus injury will lead to a disfiguring deformity of the shoulder contour, apart from the functional deficit. When there is no possibility for functional restoration of the shoulder movement, this contour defect will become the patient's major concern. We present a new method in which the ipsilateral latissimus dorsi muscle was used as a pedicled musculocutaneous flap to augment the shoulder contour in 3 patients. In all patients, there was a concomitant lesion to the thoracodorsal nerve, with subsequent palsy of the latissimus dorsi muscle. Therefore, donor-site morbidity was minimal. The final esthetic appearance was pleasing, and the patient satisfaction was quite high.