Septocutaneous perforators of the peroneal artery relative to the fibula: anatomical basis of the use of pedicled fasciocutaneous flap

Abstract

There are many studies describing the perforating branches of the peroneal artery but none of them identifies their locations relative to fibula. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the locations of the perforators relative to the fibula and to present a case, treated with an adipofascial flap, based on one of these small arteries. In this study, nine fresh male cadavers’ legs injected with colored latex were dissected for demonstration of the longitudinal axis of these perforators. A large incision was made on the lateral part of the leg from the head of the fibula to the ankle. The peroneal perforating vessels were displayed. The posterior margin of the fibula was marked with needles from proximal to distal just above every perforator. The distance between the needle and the perforator was recorded. Their diameters were measured at the level of fascial emergence. There were four to seven perforating vessels; the larger vessels were near the proximal end of the fibula with an average of 1.1 mm and a minimum of 0.8 mm. We found that these branches were not parallel to fibula, but aligned in an oblique projection from posterior to anterior and from distal to proximal because of the course of the intermuscular septum between the soleus and peroneus longus muscles. The lowermost vessel was 1.7 cm away from the posterior margin of the fibula while the uppermost vessel was 0.25 cm away from the posterior ridge of the fibula. Adipofascial or fasciocutaneous flaps, which have important advantages in covering small to medium sized defects, can be based on the perforators of the peroneal artery. But for the centralization of the flap pedicle, the locations of the perforators, which are aligned from the lateral malleolus to the fibular head in oblique direction and from the posterior to the anterior must be taken into consideration. This knowledge is crucial for the flap design and the centralization of the vessels.