ARTERIAL FASCIOCUTANEOUS VASCULAR TERRITORIES OF THE LOWER LEG

The purpose of this study was to analyze the fasciocutaneous arterial circulation;of the lower extremity to provide a quantitative guide to design reliable fasciocutaneous flaps. Thirty-one fresh cadaver limbs were studied using the techniques of dissection of latex injected spec imens, selective ink injections, and barium latex radiographs. Fascioc utaneous perforator locations were recorded according to fascial septu m of origin and distance relative to bony landmarks between tile knee and the ankle. Selective ink injections of the trifurcation vessels id entified four anterior tibial, three peroneal, and three posterior tib ial fasciocutaneous territories. Although perforator site locations we re randomly distributed along the trifurcation vessel within any vascu lar territory, the separate cutaneous regions that make LIP the fascio cutaneous territories occur in predictable locations with a measurable standard deviation. The transverse section radiographs confirmed tile transverse dimensions of tile vascular territories. Additionally: the summation of any two vascular territories calculated fi om tile anato mical data conforms to the clinically observed 2.5:1 to 3:1 length-to- width ratios for fasciocutaneous flap viability as reported by Ponten and by Barclay et al. This study provides a quantitative anatomical fr amework using primary; fasciocutaneous vascular territories to design potentially reliable fasciocutaneous naps in tile lower extremity.