Objective: The medial femoral condyle corticoperiosteal flap is irrigated by the descending genicular artery, and when this is absent, by the superior medial genicular artery. The descending genicular artery divides into the muscular, saphenous, and osteoarticular branches. The objective of this study was to describe the variables involved in the dissection of the medial femoral condyle flap.
Methods: Thirty thighs from 20 cadavers were dissected and the following variables were recorded: age, height, weight, thigh length, presence of the descending genicular artery, whether the saphenous branch originated from the descending genicular artery, the length of the branches originating from the descending genicular artery, and the diameter of the descending genicular artery and the vena comitans.
Results: The descending genicular artery was present in 93.3% of the specimens (28/30). The saphenous branch originated from this artery in 76.7% of the dissections (23/70). The mean distance between the origin of the descending genicular artery and the knee joint was 13.4 cm (±١.4), the mean length of the descending genicular artery was 7.5 cm (±1.5), the mean diameter of the descending genicular artery was 1.9 mm (±٠.3), and the mean diameter of the vena comitans was 1.7 mm (±٠.3).
Conclusion: The vascularized medial femoral condyle is a versatile option for reconstruction of musculoskeletal injuries. It allows transference of bone associated with muscle and skin, which are each nourished by independent branches. Level of Evidence IV; Case series.
Objetivo: O retalho ósseo vascularizado do côndilo femoral medial deve sua irrigação à artéria genicular descendente e, na ausência desta, à artéria genicular superior medial. A artéria genicular descendente comumente ramifica-se em: ramo muscular, safeno e osteoarticular. O estudo teve por objetivo analisar as variáveis relativas à dissecção do retalho ósseo do côndilo femoral medial.
Métodos: Foram dissecados 30 joelhos (20 cadáveres), registrando-se: idade; estatura; peso; comprimento da coxa; presença da artéria genicular descendente; se o ramo safeno tem origem na artéria genicular descendente; comprimento dos ramos da artéria genicular descendente e os diâmetros da artéria genicular descendente e veia comitante.
Resultados: A artéria genicular descendente esteve presente em 93,3% dos espécimes (28/30). O ramo safeno originou-se da artéria genicular descendente em 76,7% das dissecções (23/70). Distância entre origem da artéria genicular descendente e interlinha articular = 13,4 (±1,4) cm, comprimento da artéria genicular descendente = 7,5 (±1,5) cm, diâmetro da artéria genicular descendente = 1,9 (±0,3) mm, diâmetro da veia comitante = 1,7 (±0,3) mm.
Conclusão: O retalho ósseo vascularizado do côndilo femoral medial mostrou-se a opção versátil para reconstrução de lesões do sistema músculo-esquelético. Permite a elevação de retalho ósseo associado à pele e tecido muscular, cada qual nutrido por ramos independentes. Nível de Evidência IV; Série de casos.
Keywords: Arteries/anatomy and histology; Microsurgery; Reconstruction; Surgical flaps; Thigh/ anatomy and histology.