title: Anatomical comparison among the anterolateral thigh, the parascapular, and the lateral arm flaps.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare the major anatomical aspects among anterolateral thigh, parascapular and lateral arm flaps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty flaps were dissected in 20 human cadavers, comparing their vascular pedicle length, flap thickness and arterial/venous pedicle diameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vascular pedicle length (from the origin of the vascular pedicle to its entry into the skin flap) of anterolateral thigh flap (13.43 ± 3.92 cm, lateral circumflex femoral artery) was longer than parascapular (9.07 ± 1.20 cm, circumflex scapular artery) and lateral arm flap (8.90 ± 1.65 cm, posterior collateral radial artery) (P < 0.001). The thickness of lateral arm flap (6.32 ± 2.33 mm) was lesser than parascapular (8.59 ± 2.93 mm) and anterolateral thigh flap (9.30 ± 3.54 mm) (P < 0.001). The arterial/venous pedicle diameters of lateral arm flap (2.37 ± 0.69 mm / 2.61 ± 0.74 mm) were lesser than parascapular (3.46 ± 0.80 mm / 4.07 ± 0.87 mm) and anterolateral thigh flap (3.26 ± 0.74 mm / 3.87 ± 0.70 mm) (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vascular pedicle length of anterolateral thigh flap was the longest and that lateral arm flap presented a pedicle with the smallest arterial and venous diameters, in addition to being the thinnest flap.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Busnardo
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Coltro
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Olivan
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jose C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Faes
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizeu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lavor
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aldo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery and the Cancer Institute of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gemperli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply*; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012540:Scapula / Q000098:blood supply*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013848:Thigh / Q000098:blood supply*; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult