Perforasomes of the upper abdomen: an anatomical study.
BACKGROUND
Pedicled perforator flaps in the trunk such as the DIEAP or the IMAP-flap have increasingly been used for reconstructive purposes. However, perforator flaps of the upper abdominal wall derived from the SEA and DIEA have not been widely reported in literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the vascular basis of perforator flaps of the upper abdominal wall based on the epigastric vascular axis and to describe the location and size of the individual flaps.


METHODS
The superior and deep inferior epigastric artery perforators (SEAPs and DIEAPs) of the supraumbilical abdominal wall of ten fresh anatomical specimens were selectively injected with Methylene blue solution or India ink. The location and size of the labeled skin area was observed. Finally, the arterial perforators were dissected and the length, diameter and the distance of the perforation point to the midline, xiphoid process and umbilicus were recorded.


RESULTS
The SEAPs and DIEAPs supplied the ventromedial skin of the lower thoracic and supraumbilical abdominal wall in a sequential order. The mean size of all injected skin areas was 65 ± 31.4 cm(2) (10.2 × 8.8 cm). A mean number of 9.7 ± 4.2 perforators per specimen was identified. The mean external diameter of the dissected perforators was 0.82 ± 0.32 mm. The perforator length until arborization averaged 3.44 ± 1.07 cm. Most perforators were located in an area 2-6 cm from the midline and 0-10 cm below the xiphoid process.


CONCLUSIONS
Through selective injection of perforators, a reliable anatomy of SEAP- and DIEAP-flaps of the upper abdominal wall could be demonstrated. From a clinical point of view, subcostal SEAP-flaps are of special interest. These flaps may be rotated cranially for lower chest wall or breast reconstruction or deflected caudally for abdominal wall reconstructive purposes. The harvest site can be closed directly or via a reverse abdominoplasty procedure.
Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of General Surgery, General Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstrasse 9, 4020 Linz, Austria; maz - Microsurgical Training and Research Center, Industriezeile 36/7, 4020 Linz, Austria. Electronic address: manfred.schmidt@akh.linz.at.
Manfred
M
Schmidt
Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Strasse 13, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Ines
I
Tinhofer
Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Strasse 13, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Dominik
D
Duscher
Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of General Surgery, General Hospital Linz, Krankenhausstrasse 9, 4020 Linz, Austria; maz - Microsurgical Training and Research Center, Industriezeile 36/7, 4020 Linz, Austria.
Georg M
GM
Huemer
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply; D004210:Dissection; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply
Anatomy; Deep inferior epigastric perforator; Perforator flap; Propeller flap; Reconstruction; Superior epigastric artery perforator