TDAP flap in reconstruction of a severe postburn contracture of the axillary region—a case report

Herein we report a case of a male patient who was burned with hot oil and as a consequence developed a severe axillary contracture with limited abduction and elevation of his left arm. Due to the restriction in the range of movements, our patient reported limitations in everyday activities with decreased quality of life. For this patient we proposed a reconstructive plan that required a combination of multiple techniques of scar release and reconstruction of the defect with thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP)-based flap. One year postoperatively, we achieved a significant improvement in range of motion. We showed that TDAP flap provides a thin and pliable tissue coverage with a safe vascular supply. Furthermore, we eliminated the need for prolonged splinting which enabled early postoperative rehabilitation. To conclude, TDAP flap proved to be an ideal flap for this scenario and when used in combination with other techniques, optimal end result can be achieved.