The Infraorbital Artery in Fetuses: Clinical Relevance in Perforator Flap Surgery.
BACKGROUND
The reconstruction of soft tissue detects in mid facial region are highly demanding. Most challenging region are nasal alla. For full thickness nasal alla defects most authors use nasolabial flap based on facial/angular arcade, but for recidivans tumors the infraorbital perforator flap is a good solution.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of our research was to analyze the number and the course of the infraorbital artery terminal branches.


METHODS
Material was 60 fetal hemifacial specimens of different gestational ages. Fetuses were fixed in 10% formalin and arterial blood vessels were injected with Micropaque solution (barium sulfate). Samples were further processed by Spalteholz technique, their images captured with digital camera and analyzed. Infraorbital artery was constant artery and had 2 to 4 terminal branches supplying infraorbital region. The majority of its terminal branches were characterized with descending course. Reach anatomical network of infraorbital artery made anastomoses with facial artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Perforator flap based on infraorbital artery had well defined vascular supply with numerous soft tissue branches, which qualify this flap as safe solution for nasal reconstruction.
Clinic for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinical center Nis, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia.
Predrag
P
Kovacevic
Department of Dermatology, University hospital J. W. Goethe, Frankfurt, Germany.
Igor
I
Hrgovic
Department for anatomy, Faculty of medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia.
Sladjana
S
Ugrenovic
Clinic for surgery, Clinical Centre, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia.
Milan
M
Radojkovic
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital J.J. Strossmayer, Osijek, Croatia.
Zlatko
Z
Hrgovic
D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods
Anatomy; Infraorbital artery; Nasal reconstruction; Perforator flap; Surgery