Anatomic basis of perforator flaps of medial vastus muscle

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to elucidate anatomical features of perforating branch flaps based on the muscular branches of the medial vastus muscle and to seek a new, applicable technique that could be used in repairing soft tissue defects around human knees. In this study, the origin, the course, the branches, the distribution, and the distal anastomosis of the muscular branch of the medial vastus muscle were observed in 30 sides of adult cadaveric lower limb specimens with the adductor tubercle, the patella midpoint, and the inguinal ligament midpoint as the observation markers. The specimens had been perfused arterially with red gelatin before they were supplied. It was observed that the femoral artery gave constant muscular branches into the medial vastus muscle at the tip of the femoral triangle. The artery entered the muscle via the hilum and ran laterally downwards along the muscular bundle until it reached the lateral patella to anastomose with the arterial circle around the bone. Along its course, it also gave 1-3 (1/77%) musculocutaneous perforating branches (0.5-0.9 mm in diameter). It then extended vertically through the medial vastus muscle into the deep fascia and ran superficially to the overlying skin of the muscle. A flap based on the perforating branch of the medial vastus muscle could be harvested at a size of about 8.5 cm x 15.0 cm and might be transferred retrograde to repair the soft tissue defect around the knee. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.