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A reappraisal of the blood supply of the pectoralis minor muscle
Author(s) -
Stook Frank P.,
Zonnevijlle Erik D. H.,
Groen Gerbrand J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.980070102
Subject(s) - medicine , anatomy , facial artery , cadaver , pectoralis major muscle , artery , pectoralis muscle , axillary artery , reconstructive surgery , blood supply , surgery
Recently the pectoralis minor muscle has been introduced as a free muscle transplant for facial reanimation in peripheral facial paralysis. However, reports on the vascular supply of this muscle are incomplete or contradictory. Therefore the pectoral region was examined in 57 human cadavers. A complex pattern of variations in the arterial supply was found: it was, however, systematically arranged and limited to a small part of the arterial tree. A topographical classification was made, based on the dominant muscle artery, to provide a useful orientation during reconstructive surgery. Related to the origin of this dominant artery, three main patterns are distinguished. In the most frequent pattern a major role is played by an artery not mentioned in Nomina Anatomica (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1989). This artery usually arises directly from the axillary artery, accompanies the medial pectoral nerve, and supplies the major lateral part of the muscle from its deep surface. For topographical reasons we propose the name “lateral pectoral artery.” The classification, presented in this study, may provide a better insight for the reconstructive surgeon working in this area. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.