Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Inferior and Superior Epigastric Artery Flaps: The Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flap

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Core Techniques in Flap Reconstructive Microsurgery

  • 596 Accesses

Abstract

The rectus abdominis muscle can be used as a reliable and robust pedicled flap, and it is most commonly used for sternal and perineal reconstruction. As a Mathes and Nahai type III flap with two dominant pedicles, the rectus abdominis muscle can be safely mobilised on either the superior or inferior epigastric artery, and there are a wide range of available skin paddle orientations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Pennington DG, Lai MF, Pelly AD. The rectus abdominis myocutaneous free flap. Br J Plast Surg. 1980;33(2):277–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Taylor GI, et al. The extended deep inferior epigastric flap. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983;72(6):751–65.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Butler CE, Gündeslioglu AÖ, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. Outcomes of immediate vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction for irradiated abdominoperineal resection defects. J Am Coll Surg. 2008;206(4):694–703.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Moon HK, Taylor GI. The vascular anatomy of rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps based on the deep superior epigastric system. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1988;82(5):815–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Villa M, et al. Extended vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap for pelvic reconstruction: three-dimensional and four-dimensional computed tomography angiographic perfusion study and clinical outcome analysis. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011;127(1):200–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK

    Matthew Wordsworth

  2. Royal Free Hospital, London, UK

    Dariush Nikkhah, Alex Woollard & Norbert Kang

Authors
  1. Matthew Wordsworth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dariush Nikkhah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alex Woollard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Norbert Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew Wordsworth .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Royal Free Hospital & University College London (UCL) Division of Surgical Sciences, London, UK

    Dariush Nikkhah

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia

    Jeremy Rawlins

  3. London Reconstructive Microsurgery Unit (LRMU), Department of Plastic Surgery, Emergency Care and Trauma Division (ECAT), The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust & University College Hospital London (UCLH), London, UK

    Georgios Pafitanis

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Wordsworth, M., Nikkhah, D., Woollard, A., Kang, N. (2023). Inferior and Superior Epigastric Artery Flaps: The Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flap. In: Nikkhah, D., Rawlins, J., Pafitanis, G. (eds) Core Techniques in Flap Reconstructive Microsurgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07678-7_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07678-7_20

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-07677-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-07678-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation