title: Anatomical and radiological study of the superior and inferior gluteal arteries in the gluteus maximus muscle for musculocutaneous flap in Koreans.
abstract: The position, distribution pattern, and perforating branch of the superior gluteal artery (SGA) and the inferior gluteal artery (IGA) in the gluteus maximus muscle (GMM) were investigated through fine dissection and the radiological method. The SGA was located at about the upper one-third of the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS)-greater trochanter of the femur (GT) line and medially at about 1cm from the line. The IGA was located at around the middle point of the PSIS-ischial tuberosity (IT) line. The perforating branches passed through the muscle to the subcutaneous tissue and were distributed to the GMM that divided the upper and lower parts; the SGA supplied to the upper two-fifths of the GMM; and the IGA supplied to the rest of the muscle. The course of the SGA and the IGA in the GMM were classified into four types according to their distribution patterns, and the most common type was the typical type whereby the IGA supplied an area larger than the SGA. These results were somewhat different from previous studies, but these differences must be considered for a safe and effective flap procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, 322 Danwol-dong, Chungju, Chungbuk 380-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002081:Buttocks / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*