and how long of a recovery is it after..?
Latissimus flaps are very safe and have low complication rates since the blood vessels are not disconnected and reconnected like a free tissue transfer (DIEP, TUG, SGAP). Usually you will have drains in the back for 1 - 2 weeks and will spend 1 - 2 nights in the hospital. For total recovery time, it would be 2 - 4 weeks.
The Latissimus Flap is a very safe and reliable procedure. Most patients stay in the hospital overnight and get discharged home with drains. The drains may stay up to two to three weeks, especially if patients are very active with arm movement during recovery.
