Case report highlights partial latissimus flap after rib tumor resection
Bottom line
A new Frontiers in Veterinary Science case report describes successful treatment of a large, progressive rib osteochondroma in a 2-year-old mixed-breed dog using en bloc resection followed by thoracic wall reconstruction with a partial latissimus dorsi muscle flap. The mass arose from the right fourth rib, extended into the thoracic cavity, and displaced the heart and major vessels to the left. Surgeons removed the right fourth rib and the distal one-third of the fifth rib with a 3-cm margin, then closed the defect with a V-shaped flap created from the remaining latissimus dorsi muscle rather than fully mobilizing the entire muscle. Histopathology confirmed osteochondroma, and at 15 months the dog was clinically normal with no radiographic evidence of recurrence. The authors say this is the first reported use of this partial-flap technique for this indication in a dog. (frontiersin.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary surgeons, the case adds another reconstructive option for selected thoracic wall defects after rib tumor resection. The report is notable not only because canine rib osteochondroma appears to be exceptionally rare, but also because the authors frame autogenous tissue flaps as having lower complication rates than other reconstruction approaches in prior canine series. A partial latissimus dorsi flap could be useful when the defect is limited and surgeons want to avoid the wider dissection required for conventional full-muscle mobilization. Still, this is a single case report, so broader conclusions about durability, respiratory function, and case selection will need more study. (frontiersin.org)
What to watch: Whether this muscle-sparing approach is adopted in additional canine thoracic wall cases, and whether future reports define where it fits relative to full latissimus flaps, mesh-based reconstruction, and other autogenous techniques. (frontiersin.org)
Key facts
- Study type
- Case report
- Journal
- Frontiers in Veterinary Science
- Publication date
- June 30, 2026
- Patient
- 2-year-and-5-month-old spayed female mixed-breed dog
- Diagnosis
- Rib osteochondroma
- Tumor location
- Right fourth rib
- Surgery
- En bloc resection with thoracic wall reconstruction using a partial latissimus dorsi muscle flap
- Resection details
- Entire right fourth rib and distal one-third of the fifth rib, with a 3-cm margin
- Outcome
- Clinically normal at 15 months, with no radiographic recurrence
A case report published June 30, 2026, in Frontiers in Veterinary Science details a successful thoracic wall reconstruction in a dog after resection of a large rib osteochondroma, using a partial latissimus dorsi muscle flap instead of the more conventional full-muscle mobilization. The patient, a 2-year-and-5-month-old spayed female mixed-breed dog, had an incidental thoracic mass discovered during workup for onion toxicosis-related anemia. Imaging showed the lesion originated from the right fourth rib and had grown large enough to displace the cardiac silhouette and mediastinal structures leftward. (frontiersin.org)
What makes the report stand out is both the tumor type and the reconstruction method. The authors describe osteochondroma as an exceedingly rare tumor in dogs, and note that among previously reported canine rib tumors, osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma have predominated, with no documented rib osteochondroma cases identified in the literature they reviewed. They also emphasize that surgical excision is recommended because of the lesion’s potential for malignant transformation. (frontiersin.org)
In surgery, the team performed en bloc excision with a 3-cm margin, removing the entire right fourth rib and the distal one-third of the fifth rib. They reported no invasion of intrathoracic organs, which simplified removal. The chest wall defect was then reconstructed using a V-shaped partial flap created from the remaining latissimus dorsi muscle and anchored to the deep pectoral and external abdominal oblique muscles. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with no respiratory compromise or wound complications reported, and 15-month follow-up radiographs showed no recurrence. Histopathology confirmed osteochondroma after an earlier punch biopsy had suggested chondroma. (frontiersin.org)
The technique builds on an established reconstructive concept, but modifies it in a way that may matter in practice. Earlier veterinary literature has described latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps for one-stage thoracic wall reconstruction after en bloc rib tumor resection in dogs, including a 2007 report involving five dogs with primary rib chondrosarcoma. Another retrospective series of 44 dogs undergoing chest wall resection and reconstruction found autogenous tissue flaps had the lowest complication rate among the methods compared. The new report positions its partial-flap approach as a way to achieve closure in limited defects without the larger surgical field and added dissection associated with complete mobilization of the latissimus dorsi. (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
Broader veterinary and comparative surgical literature suggests there is no single best reconstruction method for every thoracic wall defect. Options include autogenous tissues such as muscle, fascia, and diaphragm, as well as synthetic materials including polypropylene and titanium mesh. More recent case literature has also documented successful mesh-based reconstruction in dogs with large thoracic wall tumors, underscoring that defect size, location, adjacent tissue involvement, and surgeon experience all shape the choice of repair. (frontiersin.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this report is less about proving a new standard of care and more about expanding the reconstructive toolbox. In referral settings where rib tumors require wide excision, preserving respiratory mechanics while achieving durable closure is the central challenge. This case suggests that, in selected patients with relatively localized defects and usable residual latissimus tissue, a partial flap may offer adequate coverage with less tissue dissection. That could translate into shorter operative time, less morbidity, or easier recovery, though those benefits remain inferential because the paper reports only one case. (frontiersin.org)
The report also reinforces a practical diagnostic point for clinicians: even incidental thoracic wall masses in young dogs may warrant advanced imaging and surgical planning when they are progressive or exerting mass effect. In this dog, CT clarified the rib origin and the degree of intrathoracic displacement, which directly informed resection and reconstruction planning. For general practitioners and specialists alike, that’s a reminder that “benign” bone tumors can still create substantial anatomic and cardiopulmonary consequences. (frontiersin.org)
What to watch: The next question is whether other surgeons report similar outcomes in a larger number of dogs, ideally with clearer criteria for defect size, flap design, postoperative function, and when a partial flap should be favored over full latissimus mobilization or prosthetic reconstruction. For now, the technique looks promising, but it remains early evidence from a single well-documented case published on June 30, 2026. (frontiersin.org)