Macro-micro-anatomy of Blood Vessels of Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Flap / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

The description of the origin of the arteries supplying the middle and lower thirds of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was not consistent in the literature. 50 specimens of SCM on adult cadavers were studied with macro-micro-dissections. The relative distribution areas of various muscular arteries of SCM were displayed on a diagram. It was clearly shown that the upper, middle and lower thirds of SCM were mainly supplied by the muscular branches of the occipital, external carotid and superior thyroid arteries respectively. In 39 out of the 50 specimens, there was an additional muscular artery coming from a branch of the subclavian artery to supply the origin of SCM. The distribution area of this additional artery was so limited that it could not be considered as one of the main muscular arteries of SCM.Thus the muscular arteries of SCM came from different origins. If a single- eaded myocutaneous flap of SCM is made, seperate muscular artery must be peserved for each head of the muscle to avoid necrosis of the muscular flap as well as the remaining muscle. If free arterial pedicle is employed, the musular branch of the external carotid or superior thyroid artery is the artery of choice since either branch is superficially located and has a diameter of 1.1 mm on average.The muscular arteries of SCM entered the muscle in a dispersed way, and there was no vascular porta formed on SCM.