Lateral lower leg perforator flaps: an anatomical study to localize and classify lateral lower leg perforators
Publication year
2015Source
Microsurgery, 35, 2, (2015), pp. 140-147ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

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Organization
Plastic Surgery
Anatomy
Journal title
Microsurgery
Volume
vol. 35
Issue
iss. 2
Page start
p. 140
Page end
p. 147
Subject
Radboudumc 0: Other Research DCMN: Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience; Radboudumc 0: Other Research RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health Sciences; Radboudumc 10: Reconstructive and regenerative medicine RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health Sciences; Radboudumc 17: Women's cancers RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health SciencesAbstract
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.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [205104]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [81055]
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