Latissimus dorsi free myocutaneous flap.

Microvascular surgery has added new dimensions in reconstructive surgery. The concept of myocutaneous flap improved soft-tissue reconstruction procedures. The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap proved to be very reliable in regional reconstruction operations on the chest wall, abdomen, back, head, and neck regions. The use of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap as a free flap using microvascular anastomosis paved the way for the use of this flap in distant soft-tissue reconstruction. In this paper we review the literature of latissimus dorsi free myocutaneous flap in clinical application, and added three cases of our own in whom the latissimus dorsi free myocutaneous flap was used for soft-tissue reconstruction in distal leg defects. This flap proved itself again as reliable mainly because of its constant dominant vascular pedicle, its large size, and the minimal functional problems that result from its use.