THE ANATOMIC BASIS OF A FREE VASCULARIZED BONE-GRAFT BASED ON THE CANINE DISTAL ULNA

The anatomy of the canine distal ulna was evaluated to determine its p otential as a free vascularized bone graft. Twelve cadavers were studi ed by gross dissection and nonselective and selective angiography. The caudal interosseous artery consistently served as a source artery to the distal ulnar periosteal vasculature in all dogs. The diameters of the caudal interosseous artery and venae comitantes were large enough to permit microvascular anastomoses. Nonselective perfusions of the br achial artery demonstrated large barium-filled vessels within soft tis sues surrounding the ulna with anastomotic connections between medulla ry and periosteal vasculature. Grafts selectively perfused through the caudal interosseous artery (periosteal circulation only) had bariumfi lled vessels within the muscular cuff, periosteum, cortical bone, and medullary canal of the ulna. A surgical approach to remove the distal ulna along with an intact musculoperiosteal cuff and its associated va sculature is described. (C) Copyright 1994 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons