TITLE:
Reconstruction of a Post-Burn Contracture of the Elbow Using a Pedicled Latissimus Dorsi Flap
AUTHORS:
Mie Horiuchi, Masami Saitoh, Chu Kimura, Kazuki Ohtsuka, Akihiko Oyama, Susumu Honda
KEYWORDS:
Post-Burn Scar Contracture, Elbow Contracture, Pedicled Latissimus Dorsi Flap, Burn Reconstruction, Early Rehabilitation
JOURNAL NAME:
Surgical Science,
Vol.17 No.9,
September
16,
2026
ABSTRACT: Post-burn scar contractures of the elbow can significantly impair activities of daily living and often require surgical reconstruction. We report a case of elbow reconstruction using a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap. An 81-year-old woman developed a post-burn scar contracture of the right elbow following a scald injury. Preoperative elbow range of motion was 130˚ in flexion and −75˚ in extension. After scar excision and contracture release, a 14 × 9 cm skin defect was reconstructed using a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap. Early rehabilitation was initiated on postoperative day one. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home one month after surgery. At six months postoperatively, elbow range of motion improved to 140˚ in flexion and −10˚ in extension, allowing independent performance of daily activities. Pedicled latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction provided well-vascularized soft tissue coverage and enabled early rehabilitation, resulting in favorable functional recovery.