title: [Application of abdominal venous angio-architecture in flap thinning of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the venous angio-architecture of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator ( DIEP) flap with computed tomography angiography( CTA) and the application of venous angio-architecture in flap thinning of DIEP flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 2012 to August 2014, preoperative CTA examination of venous system of DIEP flap was performed in 11 patients to study the course, the branch and the anastomosis of the deep inferior epigastric veins, the superficial inferior epigastric veins and the perforator veins. The flap thinning of DIEP flap was based on the finding of the abdominal venous system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CTA images were obtained including 22 deep inferior epigastric veins, 22 superficial inferior epigastric veins and 22 perforator veins. The distance between the superficial inferior epigastric vein and abdominal midline was 3.30 cm to 5.77 cm in the zone 3 cm above umbilicus and in the zone 15 cm below umbilicus. The superficial inferior epigastric vein was 0.29 to 0.39 in depth ratio. The superficial inferior epigastric veins were the main drainage vessels of superficial abdominal wall according to the CTA images. They were anastomosed with the deep inferior epigastric veins through perforator veins. The 11 DIEP flaps were thinned based on the structure of the superficial inferior epigastric veins and all flaps had no drainage disturbance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative CTA images can display the venous angio-architecture of deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap. The superficial inferior epigastric vein can be utilized as reference architecture to guide flap thinning of DIEP flap.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bairong
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiyong
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiancheng
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000098:blood supply; D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000098:blood supply; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000098:blood supply*; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology