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Abdominal wall neuropraxia: a previously unreported complication of latissimus dorsi flap breast reconstruction

  • Case Report
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European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The latissimus dorsi flap is one of the most commonly used in breast reconstruction. We report the case of a 61-year-old female, who developed abdominal wall neuropraxia as a complication of latissimus dorsi free flap harvest. The cause of injury was compression of the T8–T12 spinal root outlets due to lateral spinal flexion during the procedure, which caused demyelination of the nerve roots. This complication is previously unreported in the literature.

Level of Evidence: Level V, risk/prognostic study.

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Conflict of interest

Isabelle Citron, Mary Clare Miller, Katie Lancaster, Mark Ho-Asjoe declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

This case report complies with ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. For this type of retrospective article formal consent from an ethics committee is not required.

Patient consent

The patient described in this case report has given expressed informed consent for her medical records, images and photographs to be published. We have made every effort to maintain anonymity. However, the patient understands that due to the unusual nature of her case, she may be recognizable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminister Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK

    Isabelle Citron, Mary Clare Miller, Katie Lancaster & Mark Ho-Asjoe

Authors
  1. Isabelle Citron
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  2. Mary Clare Miller
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  3. Katie Lancaster
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  4. Mark Ho-Asjoe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Isabelle Citron.

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Citron, I., Miller, M.C., Lancaster, K. et al. Abdominal wall neuropraxia: a previously unreported complication of latissimus dorsi flap breast reconstruction. Eur J Plast Surg 38, 417–418 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-015-1080-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-015-1080-7

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