Atlas of Latissimus Dorsi Flap: Principles, Practice and Management

From the battlefield to the operating room, and from low-resource environments to robotic-assisted surgery, the Latissimus Dorsi (LD) flap continues to define boundaries of what adaptability, reliability, and surgical elegance mean to the expert practitioner. This Atlas of Latissimus Dorsi Flap is the go-to surgical guide for plastic and reconstructive surgeons: it introduces the SWAT approach that editors apply to improve surgical planning and outcomes, offers a comprehensive overview of anatomy, surgical techniques, complications, and indications for LD flap use in breast reconstruction, chest wall repair, and extremity reconstruction. Blending historical context, evidence-based practices, and expert insights, it includes step-by-step techniques, detailed photos and illustrations, surgical videos and real case discussions. After covering the surgical anatomy of the Latissimus Dorsi muscle, flap classification and variants, and preoperative planning, the contents illustrate the surgical technique of harvesting the flap: positioning and incision, dissection planes, pedicle isolation, flap transfer and inserting, up to donor site management. The successive parts cover reconstructive indications and applications, from breast reconstruction (immediate and delayed), to head and neck, upper and lower extremity reconstruction, chest wall and trunk defects, and pediatric and trauma applications of the LD flap. Microsurgical considerations (thoracodorsal pedicle characteristics, recipient vessel selection, microvascular anastomosis techniques) are followed by postoperative monitoring protocols and a part on complications management, that covers donor site morbidity, flap failure and salvage strategies, seroma, hematoma, infection and functional impairment. A part follows on outcomes and long-term results, future directions as robotics and endoscopic-assisted harvest, 3D planning and virtual surgical simulation, regenerative approaches and composite tissue engineering. The book closes with case series and clinical pearls of representative cases with photos and discussion, lessons learned and technical tips, approaches to flap selection, and the back matter offers surgical checklists, anatomy tables, and a glossary of terms. Whether the reader is a plastic surgery or orthopaedics resident, a fellow, or an experienced surgeon, Atlas of Latissimus Dorsi Flap: Principles, Practice and Management will enhance their understanding, precision and confidence in performing Latissimus Dorsi flap procedures with safety and aesthetic excellence.