title: The biceps femoris short head muscle flap: an experimental anatomical study.
abstract: The vascular communication between the heads of the biceps femoris muscle has been established after 25 cadaveric dissections. Perfusions of dye through the long or the short head consistently showed 1-2 anastomotic bundles. Outflow of dye opposite to the site of the perfused head was remarkable in most cases. Intramuscular dissections disclosed broad and well structured vascular networks in all short heads, but this was not true for all long heads. Our observations suggest that the anastomotic vessels alone might support the short head which, when released from its profunda femoris vessels, is adequate to cover lateral knee defects. Depending on the level of the anastomotic vessels, the proximal or the distal part of the short head should be used. A pedicled flap may be used as well, whereas transsection of the biceps tendon offers additional mobility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Saint Savvas Greek Anticancer Institute, Athens, Greece. chtsets@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Constantinos H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsetsonis
authors.forename: Dimitrios H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Laoulakos
authors.forename: Olga S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kaxira
authors.forename: Dimitrios L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Katsieris
authors.forename: Georgios A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kokkalis
authors.forename: Chara A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Spiliopoulou
mesh_terms: D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013848:Thigh