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Anatomical study of medial sural artery and its perforators in Nepalese: an aid to reconstructive surgery

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Abstract

Objective

The present study was undertaken to know the anatomical basis of medial sural artery (MSA) and its perforators in Nepalese.

Methods

The popliteal arteries of 16 preserved cadaveric lower limbs were injected with a mixture of red ink and glycerine. The number, location, diameter of perforators; length and intramuscular course of pedicle; the branching pattern of MSA were observed and measured.

Results

The mean of 2.2 ± 1.2 perforators (range 0–4) was observed. The perforators were clustered between 8.6 and 25.7 cm from the popliteal crease and 0.3–7.5 cm from posterior midline of leg. The dominant perforators were observed in middle 1/3rd of the leg. The average pedicle length was 12.04 ± 3.27 cm. The intramuscular courses of pedicles were observed in deep and superficial strata in 65.7 and 34.3%, respectively. The MSA originated from popliteal artery in 62.5% and common sural artery in 37.5%. An accessory MSA was found in 12.5%. Type I and Type III branching patterns of MSA were observed in 31.2% each whereas Type II was found in 37.5%. The mean external diameter of perforators and MSA were 0.85 ± 0.27 mm and 2.2 ± 0.43 mm, respectively.

Conclusions

The metrical presentation of this study provides an easy access to know about the distribution of perforators and branching pattern of MSA which will help the surgeons to make a convenient plan to harvest the MSA perforator flap in Nepalese population.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mr. Prem Panta, Lecturer (Statistician), Department of Community Medicine, for his assistance in data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Nepal Medical College, Kathmandu University, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Laju Maya Basnet, Samit Kumar Ghosh, Sunara Shrestha & Shaligram Dhungel

Authors
  1. Laju Maya Basnet
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  2. Samit Kumar Ghosh
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  3. Sunara Shrestha
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  4. Shaligram Dhungel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laju Maya Basnet.

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Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Ethical approval

This study underwent approval through Research and Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of Nepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital.

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Basnet, L.M., Ghosh, S.K., Shrestha, S. et al. Anatomical study of medial sural artery and its perforators in Nepalese: an aid to reconstructive surgery. Surg Radiol Anat 40, 935–941 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-017-1956-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-017-1956-2

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