The clinical observation and study on the blood vessel types of anterolateral femoral skin flap

Objective:To investigate the anatomic characteristics of the cutaneous blood vessel of anterolateral femoral flap and classify it.Methods:The origins of cutaneous blood vessels from lateral femoral circumflex arteries,they passed through muscles or not,the lengths and depths when they were under the muscles and the position where they derived from the muscles were observed in 156 cases of anterolateral femoral flap transplantation.Results:There were eight kinds of cutaneous blood vessels in anterolateral femoral flap,and they were classified into five types: Ⅰ.Cutaneous branch type,including superficial and deep isoforms(55.1%); Ⅱ.Intermuscular cutaneous branch type( 26.9%) ;Ⅲ.Mixed type;Ⅳ.Without large cutaneouse branch type;Ⅴ.Higher position cutaneous blood vessel type (21.5%) .Conclusion:①Though the types of the cutaneous blood vessels of anterolateral femoral flap is different,in most individuals the descending branch of lateral femoral circumflex artery as a main branch exits and sends out a dominant branch constantly.②If the large cutaneous branch can not be found during transplantation,we can use cutaneous blood vessel with higher position instead of giving up the operation.