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The axillary approach to raising the latissimus dorsi free flap for facial re-animation: a descriptive surgical technique

Leckenby, J; Butler, D; Grobbelaar, A; (2015) The axillary approach to raising the latissimus dorsi free flap for facial re-animation: a descriptive surgical technique. Archives of Plastic Surgery , 42 (1) 73 - 77. 10.5999/aps.2015.42.1.73. Green open access

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Abstract

The latissimus dorsi flap is popular due to the versatile nature of its applications. When used as a pedicled flap it provides a robust solution when soft tissue coverage is required following breast, thoracic and head and neck surgery. Its utilization as a free flap is extensive due to the muscle's size, constant anatomy, large caliber of the pedicle and the fact it can be used for functional muscle transfers. In facial palsy it provides the surgeon with a long neurovascular pedicle that is invaluable in situations where commonly used facial vessels are not available, in congenital cases or where previous free functional muscle transfers have been attempted, or patients where a one-stage procedure is indicated and a long nerve is required to reach the contra-lateral side. Although some facial palsy surgeons use the trans-axillary approach, an operative guide of raising the flap by this method has not been provided. A clear guide of raising the flap with the patient in the supine position is described in detail and offers the benefits of reducing the risk of potential brachial plexus injury and allows two surgical teams to work synchronously to reduce operative time.

Type: Article
Title: The axillary approach to raising the latissimus dorsi free flap for facial re-animation: a descriptive surgical technique
Location: Korea (South)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2015.42.1.73
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.5999/aps.2015.42.1.73
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © 2015 The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords: Facial palsy, Facial reanimation, Free flap, Latissimus dorsi
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1468965
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