Abstract

MORRIS, S.; TANG, M.  and  GEDDES, C.R.. Vascular anatomical basis of perforator skin flaps. Cir. plást. iberolatinoam. [online]. 2006, vol.32, n.4, pp.225-236. ISSN 1989-2055.

Over the past 2 decades the use of musculocutaneous perforator flaps has increased worldwide as microsurgeons have become more comfortable with the technique. Perforator flaps have now become well established as a part of the evolution of microsurgery. Since perforator flaps are based on individual musculocutaneous or septocutaneous perforators, it is imperative that the reconstructive microsurgeon has the detailed anatomical information necessary to plan perforator flap transfers. The goal of this paper is to review the various angiographic techniques which are available to study the vascular anatomy of the human body and to present our current vascular injection technique. We will show illustrative examples using the lead oxide gelatin injection technique to elucidate the relevant anatomy of perforator flap donor sites. The lead oxide gelatin injection technique has been previously reported by Salmon and Rees and Taylor. The injection technique may be used for arterial or venous injections but we have primarily used it for arterial injections. The injection steps are detailed in the paper. Over the past five years we have dissected a total of 21 human fresh cadavers after lead oxide gelatin arterial injection studies. A total of over 7000 radiographs have been reviewed and summarized. We present summarized results of the anatomical research in the areas of head and neck, upper limb, torso and lower limb regions. The lead oxide gelatin injection technique is simple and inexpensive and the computer analysis technique is straight forward and provides excellent visualization of the architecture of the human skin. The fine details identified using this injection technique provides useful information to surgeons planning transfers of skin, muscle, bone and nerve and therefore our understandingly of clinically related vascular anatomy of perforator flaps can be improved.

Keywords : Perforator flaps; Vascular anatomy.

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