Anatomical basis of lateral antebrachial neurocutaneous flap pedicled with inferior cubital artery perforator / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective To provide anatomical basis for lateral antebrachial neurocutaneous flap pedi-cled with inferior cubital artery perforator in repairing tissue defects around elbow joint. Methods Thirty embalmed upper limbs of adult cadavers perfused with red latex were used for this study, and followings were observed:①The course and distribution of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve; ②Anastomoses between inferior cubital artery and nutrient vessels of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve. Mimic operation was performed on other side of fresh specimen. Results ①The main trunk of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LACN) lined in the radial forearm and distributed in the 1/3 region of lateral forearm. ①The nutritional vessels of the flap were plurisegmental and polyphyletic. The inferior cubital artery which was relatively constant reached to skin through "V"-shaped peak formed by communicating branches of cephalic vein and deep venous system. They also gave off large number of small veins, which closely aligned with perineural branches and neural stem vascular chain of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve. Conclusion The lateral antebrachial neurocutaneos flap pedicled with inferior cubital artery perforator can be formed to repaire tissue defects around elbow joint.

Applied anatomy of thigh medial neurocutaneous vascular flap pedicled with descending genicular artery perforators / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective To provide anatomical basis for the thigh medial neurocutaneous vascular flap pedicled with descending genicular artery perforators. Methods ① The course and distribution of thigh medial cutaneous nerve. ②Anastomosis between descending genicular artery perforators and thigh medial neurocutaneous vascular, were observed on 40 specimens of adult lower limb perfused with red latex. Mimic operation was performed on one side of fresh specimen. Results ①The line between the midpoint of inguinal ligament and medial femoral condyle can be considered as the projection on body surface of thigh medial cutaneous nerve. ②Perforating branches of descending genicular artery (infrapatellar branch )started from the lower edge of medial femoral condyle about 4 cm, and passed through the deep fascia in which the triangle depression surrounded by the vastus medialis muscle, adductor tendon and the medial femoral condyle to the subcutaneous. They also separated large number of small blood vessels, which closely aligned with the perineural and neural stem vascular chain of thigh medial cutaneous nerve. Then they formated vascular plexus in the upper part of thigh along the thigh medial cutaneous nerve longitudinal axis. Conclusion The thigh medial neurocutaneous vascular flap pedicled with descending genicular artery perforators can be formed to repair soft tissue defect around knee joint.