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CC BY 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1787186
Case Report

Hair Transplantation on the Baldness Region with Free Latissimus Dorsi Flap for Scalp Reconstruction: A Case Report

Man Wong Han 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
,
Jaeseong Moh 
2   Dr. Moh Hair Transplantation Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
,
Ji-Ung Park 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

Scalp reconstruction, particularly with complex defects and infection risks, often favors microvascular free flaps. However, this method can result in unavoidable alopecia and undesirable aesthetics. This report describes a novel case where hair transplantation via follicular unit extraction (FUE) was applied to a free myocutaneous flap. A 44-year-old woman with Moyamoya disease suffered intracerebral hemorrhage a decade ago. Craniotomies and autologous bone cranioplasties led to wound dehiscence, with subsequent failed local flaps and skin grafts, and identification of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. The final scalp defect, measuring 13 × 9 cm, was reconstructed using a free myocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap. Nine years post-surgery, a 1,500-unit FUE hair transplantation procedure was conducted. The transplanted hair exhibited robust survival with adequate blood supply, achieving a satisfactory 80 to 85% survival rate at 12 months. This resulted in a notable improvement in the patient's external alopecia, with reported high levels of satisfaction. Free flaps offer a valuable method for scalp defect reconstruction; however, they may not ensure optimal aesthetic satisfaction due to alopecia. Nonetheless, successful FUE hair transplantation on a myocutaneous free flap can yield satisfactory aesthetic results.

Keywords

baldness - scalp - free flap - reconstructive surgery

Authors' Contributions

Conceptualization: J-U.P. Data curation: M.W.H. Formal analysis: M.W.H. Methodology: J.S.M. Project administration: J.U.P. Visualization: M.W.H. Writing—original draft preparation: M.W.H. Writing—review and editing: J.U.P. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


Ethical Approval

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center (IRB No. 10-2023-51) and performed in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.


Patient Consent

The patient provided written informed consent for the publication and the use of their images.


Note

This article was presented at PRS Korea 2023 on November 10, 2023.




Publication History

Received: 05 January 2024

Accepted: 28 April 2024

Article published online:
10 June 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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