Repair of cervical postradiation ulcer following radical mastectomy with lower trapezius myocutaneous flap / 中华烧伤杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical effects of ipsilateral lower trapezius myocutaneous flap for repairing cervical ulcer as a result of radiotherapy after radical mastectomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six patients with cervical ulcers as a result of radiotherapy after radical mastectomy were hospitalized from March 2010 to February 2015, suffering from persistent pain in different degrees. The wound area ranged from 6 cm × 4 cm to 10 cm × 6 cm before debridement, 8 cm × 5 cm to 16 cm × 10 cm after debridement. Ipsilateral lower trapezius myocutaneous flap was used to repair the wound after thorough debridement, with the area ranging from 10 cm × 7 cm to 20 cm × 13 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly or covered with medium-thickness skin graft obtained from the back.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pain was obviously relieved in all the patients 2 days after surgery. The wounds in five patients were healed, while necrosis of superficial skin approximately 1 cm in diameter appeared at the distal end of one myocutaneous flap, and it healed after dressing change. During the follow-up period of 3 to 18 months, no recurrence of ulcer was found, the texture of the myocutaneous flaps was soft with good appearance, and the donor sites healed well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>On the basis of thorough debridement, it is feasible to repair the cervical ulcer as a result of radiotherapy after radical mastectomy with the ipsilateral lower trapezius myocutaneous flap.</p>