title: Color Doppler Sonographic and Cadaveric Study of the Arterial Vascularity of the Lateral Upper Arm Flap.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the importance of adequate preoperative assessment with color Doppler sonography to assist in the successful transfer of lateral upper arm flaps by studying the lateral upper arm flap with color Doppler sonography and analyzing the anatomic features of the radial collateral artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical case-control study was performed. The radial collateral artery was studied with color Doppler sonography in 15 healthy volunteers. The origins, courses, variations, and locations of the perforators of the radial collateral artery were recorded. The results and data from the color Doppler sonographic investigation were compared with an anatomic study that was performed on 22 adult cadaveric upper limb specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The volunteer group (14 of 15 volunteers) and the cadaveric group (19 of 22 upper arm specimens) clearly showed that the branch pattern of the arterial supply was as follows: brachial artery → deep brachial artery → radial collateral artery → posterior radial collateral artery → myocutaneous perforator. Variations in the origin of the radial collateral artery were identified in 1 volunteer bilaterally and in 3 upper arm specimens. The diameters of the artery and vein measured at the distal insertion of the deltoid and the origin of the deep brachial artery were not significantly different between the volunteer and cadaver groups (P > .05). Due to the difference in measuring methods, the length of the vascular pedicles was significantly different between the groups (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Color Doppler sonography can facilitate the preoperative assessment of the origin, course, variations, and locations of the radial collateral artery and therefore may increase the success rate of lateral upper arm flap transfer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Ruimei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonic Examination, Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Chuanzheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China 15368011767@139.com.
authors.forename: Xiaojiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Affairs, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Jinde
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Yanxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000637:transplantation; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anatomic study; deep brachial artery; lateral upper arm flap; radial collateral artery; sonography; vascular ultrasound