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Lateral lower leg perforator flaps: An anatomical study to localize and classify lateral lower leg perforators
Author(s) -
Hupkens Pieter,
Schijns Wendy,
Van Abeelen Marjolijn,
Kooloos Jan G.M.,
Slater Nicholas J.,
Ulrich Dietmar J.O.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.22313
Subject(s) - medicine , anatomy , anterior tibial artery , popliteal artery , cadaver , peroneal artery , posterior tibial artery , lower limb , artery , ankle , surgery
Despite increasing use of lateral lower leg perforator flaps, comprehensive anatomical data are still lacking. The aim of this article was to comprehensively document the pattern of usable lateral lower leg perforators. Systematic mapping of 16 cadaver leg perforators in a well‐defined area was performed to elucidate location, course, length, diameter, and origin. Overall, 197 perforators were found in 16 lateral lower legs. The mean number of perforators per leg with a diameter ≥ 0.3 mm was 13.4 ± 3.6. Most perforators were found in the distal third (39.0%), followed by the middle third (32.0%), and proximal third (29.0%). A musculocutaneous course was found in 26.9% of the perforators, whereas 73.1% revealed a septocutaneous course. Most septocutaneous perforators (50.0%) were found in the distal third and most musculocutaneous perforators (58.5%) in the proximal third ( P < 0.001). The majority of perforators originated from the anterior tibial artery (53.0%), followed by the peroneal artery (41.6%), and the popliteal artery (5.1%). Popliteal artery perforators (1.64 mm) were significantly larger than anterior tibial artery (0.91 mm) and peroneal artery perforators (1.02 mm; P < 0.001). These results may facilitate tissue transfer around the lateral lower leg. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 35:140–147, 2015.