title: Vascular anatomy of the metacarpal bones and the interosseous muscles.
abstract: The utilization of the metacarpal bones and interosseous muscles in the reconstruction of the hand should be based on the vascular anatomy of the metacarpal bones and the interosseous muscles. The authors studied the vascular anatomy of the metacarpal bones and the interosseous muscles to design a split metacarpal musculoosseous flap. Eighteen cadaveric hands from 9 cadavers were included in the study. The dorsal metacarpal arteries arise from the arch and course along the metacarpal bones closer to the ulnar borders of the bones supplying their periosteum through the muscular branches. Despite the indistinct pattern of muscular supply and anastomotic branches to the palmar surface, in all hands the arteries extend constantly along the metacarpal bone closer to the ulnar border. For defects or any pathology of the carpal bones, the metacarpal bones could be split at the ulnar border distally and a split metacarpal musculoosseous flap (based proximally depending on the dorsal metacarpal artery) could be performed (or based distally along with a distal intermetacarpal anastomosis).
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Cağri
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Murat Sahin
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alagöz
authors.forename: Eray
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tüccar
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sensöz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000098:blood supply*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply