Severe radiation-induced injury after cardiac catheter ablation: a case requiring free anterolateral thigh flap and vastus lateralis muscle flap reconstruction on the upper arm

Abstract

Although cases of radiation-induced skin injury after fluoroscopically-guided procedures have been reported since 1996, diagnosis and treatment of such injury remain difficult. We present the case of a patient who complained of two ulcers, one on his right arm and one on his back, and limited motion of the right elbow joint after repeated cardiac radiofrequency catheter ablations. After resection of the skin ulcer on the patient's arm and of degenerated tissue in the distal part of the triceps brachii muscle, a combined free flap incorporating an anterolateral thigh flap and vastus lateralis muscle flap was transplanted. In the present case, this combined flap was very useful for simultaneous reconstruction of the muscle and skin defects under and over the tendon because the muscle flap and skin flap could be arranged separately.