The latissimus flap (LD flap) procedure takes muscle and skin from the upper back to rebuild the breast.
The latissimus flap procedure is a less common but viable alternative for women who choose hybrid reconstruction. The back tissue is combined with an implant to achieve the desired size and projection of the rebuilt breast.
The latissimus flap, also known as the LD flap, comes from the upper back region. It takes its name after the latissimus dorsi muscle, which is the wide flat muscle that covers the lower shoulder blade and back.
Unlike the DIEP flap, a latissimus flap is not disconnected from the body and reattached at the chest wall. Rather, the tissue remains connected to its original blood supply and is tunneled under the skin to the breast region. This type of tissue flap is known as a pedicled flap.
After being combined with a small implant, the tissue flap is then reshaped into the new breast.
The biggest drawback to a latissimus flap procedure is that the latissimus muscle itself is cut. Although sacrifice of the latissimus muscle does not usually impair shoulder range of motion, it may decrease power when adducting, or bring the arm back and down toward the body. However, most women do not notice the loss of this muscle during daily activities.
Hybrid reconstruction involves a breast implant, which is not part of the body. If you prefer not to have anything foreign in your body, natural tissue reconstruction would be a better alternative.
Yes, more than likely. Radiation can damage the breast skin, but the tissue flap taken for breast reconstruction contains skin that can be used to rebuild the breast.
Expect to return to most activities in 4-6 weeks. Because the latissimus muscle is used in this procedure, there may be some loss of strength for certain sports activities that use the latissimus, such as cross-country skiing or swimming.
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