The medial sural artery perforator free flap

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001 Nov;108(6):1609-15; discussion 1616-7. doi: 10.1097/00006534-200111000-00027.

Abstract

The medial sural artery supplies the medial gastrocnemius muscle and sends perforating branches to the skin. The possible use of these musculocutaneous perforators as the source of a perforator-based free flap was investigated in cadavers. Ten legs were dissected, and the topography of significant perforating musculocutaneous vessels on both the medial and the lateral gastrocnemius muscles was recorded. A mean of 2.2 perforators (range, 1 to 4) was noted over the medial gastrocnemius muscle, whereas in only 20 percent of the specimens was a perforator of moderate size noted over the lateral gastrocnemius muscle. The perforating vessels from the medial sural artery clustered about 9 to 18 cm from the popliteal crease. When two perforators were present (the most frequent case), the perforators were located at a mean of 11.8 cm (range, 8.5 to 15 cm) and 17 cm (range, 15 to 19 cm) from the popliteal crease. A series of six successful clinical cases is reported, including five free flaps and one pedicled flap for ipsilateral lower-leg and foot reconstruction. The dissection is somewhat tedious, but the vascular pedicle can be considerably long and of suitable caliber. Donor-site morbidity was minimal because the muscle was not included in the flap. Although the present series is short, it seems that the medial sural artery perforator flap can be a useful flap for free and pedicled transfer in lower-limb reconstruction.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leg / blood supply
  • Leg / surgery*
  • Leg Injuries / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / blood supply*
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods*
  • Skin / blood supply*
  • Surgical Flaps / blood supply*
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler