[Vascular anatomy and clinical applications of the distally based superficial sural artery island flap].
OBJECTIVE
To document the vascular anatomy of the distally based superficial sural artery flap and to study the vascular anastomoses between the superficial sural artery and the septocutaneous perforators of the peroneal artery.


METHODS
Ten fresh human cadavers were injected with lead oxide, gelatin and water. Twenty lags were then dissected and an overall map of the cutaneous vasculature was constructed. Vascular communications between the superficial sural artery and the lowest septocutaneous perforator of the peroneal artery was evaluated to determine the cutaneous vascular territory of the superficial sural flap. The distally based superficial sural artery island flap was used in 26 cases.


RESULTS
There is constant vascular anastomosis between the superficial sural artery and the lowest septocutaneous perforator of the peroneal artery. The 26 flaps survived uneventfully except for two of partial fat necrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The anatomic information enhances our understanding of flap design.
Yang
Da-ping
DP
Division of Plastic Surgery, 2nd Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
Fang
Dong-yun
DY
Guo
Tie-fang
TF
Han
Xue-feng
XF
D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013518:Surgery, Plastic; D013524:Surgical Flaps