title: Anatomy of anteromedial thigh perforators: CT-angiography study.
abstract: The anatomy of perforator for anteromedial thigh (AMT) flap is a very much-debated issue. In this article, we report AMT perforator vascular anatomy by CT-Angiography (CTA) evaluation of 68 consecutive healthy thighs. Perforators emergence, caliber, length, course, and source vessel in the central three fifth of the thigh were studied by a virtual coordinate system. A mean 4.94 ± 1.75 perforators per thigh (average length, 2.6 ± 0.99 cm) from superficial femoral artery (SFA) were found, emerging medial and lateral to sartorius muscle. A mean 0.4 ± 0.74 perforators per thigh (average length, 2.45 ± 0.97 cm) branched from rectus femoris artery, of which 80% were emerging lateral to sartorius muscle. A mean 0.62 ± 0.91 perforators per thigh (average length, 3.1 ± 1.23 cm) branched from an unnamed branch of SFA, of which 88% were emerging lateral to the sartorius muscle. Perforators' calibre was inferior to 1-5 mm in 177 perforators (51.6%), between 1.5 and 2 mm in 159 (46.7%), and over 2 mm in 7 (2%). The findings from this study show that AMT region is plenty of reliable perforators with overlapping fascial emergence but branching from three different source arteries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Università Cattolica del "Sacro Cuore", University Hospital "A. Gemelli", Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Visconti
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salgarello
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Visconti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cina
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000098:blood supply*; D013848:Thigh / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging