[Thermal injury to a reconstructed breast].

[BACKGROUND] Breast reconstruction using free flaps based on the lower abdominal tissue is a common procedure. Postoperatively, the blood supply and innervation of the flap will be altered due to denervation. The case presented here illustrates the resulting increased sensitivity to heat exposure.

[CASE PRESENTATION] A woman in her sixties was treated for right-sided breast cancer with mastectomy and autologous reconstruction using a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap. Fourteen years later she experienced a dermal and subcutaneous burn in the flap after sunbathing for three hours wearing a black bikini. The burn injury required surgical treatment including debridement and skin transplantation.

[INTERPRETATION] Postoperative denervation resulting in altered thermoregulatory mechanisms and reduced sensation of a free flap can increase the risk of thermal damage long after surgery. Lifelong preventive measures might therefore be necessary. Patients and medical professionals need to be aware of this hazard after reconstructive surgery using free flaps.