Neurovascular anatomy of the rectus femoris muscle related to functioning muscle transfer

To describe the intramuscular neurovascular anatomy of the rectus femoris m uscle and to evaluate whether the muscle can be split into two functional u nits, 40 rectus femoris muscle specimens were studied. Ten fresh human cada vers were injected with a mixture of lead oxide, gelatin, and water through the femoral arteries. The rectus femoris muscle with its neurovascular ped icles was dissected out and then radiographed. Computer wire was sutured to each nerve branch in the muscle, and the muscle was radiographed again. Ra diographs with and without radiopaque wire were then analyzed. In 10 preser ved cadavers, the rectus femoris muscle was dissected out. Note was made of the vessel and nerve to the muscle. All muscles were cut serially into 2-c m cross-sections, and the position and course of the intramuscular tendon w ere then grossly examined. Three different vascular patterns in 40 rectus f emoris muscles were found, based on the number of vascular pedicles and the ir relative dominance within the muscle. The rectus femoris muscle received either a single vascular pedicle (12.5 percent), a dominant vascular pedic le and one or two minor pedicles (80 percent), or two dominant vascular ped icles (7.5 percent). The rectus femoris was innervated by a large nerve bra nch from the posterior division of the femoral nerve, and the branch genera lly divided into two sub-branches before it reached the muscle. Both branch es were respectively accompanied by arterial branches to form neurovascular hila. Furthermore, this present study has provided a detailed description of the intramuscular neurovascular territories. Also, the pattern of neurov ascular supply of the muscle makes it possible to subdivide the muscle into two functional units for segmental muscle transfer.