anatomical study of the relation between the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery and the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh

The gluteal thigh flap is a myofascio-cutaneous flap receiving its blood supply from a descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery. The superior and inferior myocutaneous gluteal free flaps have been considered as valuable alternatives to the latissimus dorsi or TRAM flap since 1975. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the anatomical relationship between the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh, and the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery. Twenty four posterior thigh specimens of adult human cadavers were dissected after latex injection of the internal iliac artery. The inferior gluteal artery and the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh were carefully dissected. The relation between the descending branch of inferior gluteal artery and the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh was studied and photographed. The external diameter and the length of the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery were measured. The inferior gluteal artery gave off a descending branch that is accompanied by the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh. The descending branch was observing in all cadavers dissected. Its average external diameter was 0.3 +/- 0.07mm and it was arising about 7.15 +/- 0.68cm away from the tip of the greater trochanter of the femur. In 5 lower limbs [20.8%] the descending branch was passing medial to the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh. In the remaining cadavers the descending branch of the inferior gluteal artery was passing lateral to the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh in 19 out of 24 specimens [79.2% of lower limbs]. It was descending below the gluteal fold with the posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh in a common connective tissue sheath in 21 out of 24 specimens. In all dissected lower limbs, one or two cutaneous branches of the descending branch of inferior gluteal artery and one or two cutaneous nerves were supplying the infragluteal perforator flap. Loop of nerves was found surrounding the inferior gluteal artery and its descending branch in 3 out of 24 lower limbs [12.5%]. Knowledge of the vascular anatomy extends the clinical applicability of the posterior thigh fasciocutaneous flap to patients who might otherwise be excluded because of prior injury or operative procedure

Effect of diabetes mellitus on the olfactory mucosa: an experimental study

To investigate the effect of diabetes mellitus [DM] on the olfactory mucosa, an experimental study was performed with 60 albino rats from the same colony and age. The animals were divided into two groups, consisting of 10 animals as a control group [CG] and 50 animals as a diabetic group [DG], DM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan in a dose of 210 mg/kg of body weight. Widened intercellular spaces, thining of epithelial and mucous layers desquamation, ciliary loss and neural bundles atrophy [15%] were observed in DG. These changes increased by severity of diabetes and its duration. The reported atrophy may be due to genetic factors in some animals predisposing to pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. More or less the changes were reported in CG except neural bundles atrophy. The changes in CG were much less severe than in DG and increased by aging. The role of DM in these changes was suggested to be acceleration and exaggeration of degenerative process of aging, disharmony of regular rhythm of replication and degeneration cycles and/or renewal of basal cells and consequently failure of renewal process of sensory cells and their axonal projections. The results of this study suggested, that olfactory dysfunction with DM is a complicated process and the integrity of olfactory mucosa represents a part of its dilemma. It was advised to do meticulous control of DM as it may improve the central and peripheral process of olfaction. Also, it was concluded that the olfactory dysfunction in diabetics is still a fertile area for further studies