High cutaneous artery branches and blood supply types of the anterolateral thigh flap: a farther anatomic study

Objective: To further study the applied anatomy of the high cutaneous artery branches and blood supply types of the anterolateral thigh flap. Methods: The cutaneous arteries of the anterolateral thigh were dissected in 50 sides of the adult preservated cadaveric specimens perfused with red relax, the occurrence rate, source artery and the course of the high cutaneous branches were noted and the distribution characteristics wers analyzed. Results: Thirty-four high cutaneous artery branches occurred in 29 of 50 sides of adult cadavers and the occurrence rate thereof was 58%. The high cutaneous branches came from the ascending branch (10%, 5 sides), transverse branch (44%, 22 sides) or the root of the descending branch(4%, 2 sides) of the lateral femoral circumflex artery. The type of blood supply in the skin of anterolateral thigh could be defined as normal type(42%, 21 sides), descending ramus dominant type(36%,18 sides), equilibration type(12%,6 sides) and high ramus dominant type(10%,5 sides). Conlusion: The high cutaneous branches and its source artery could be adopted as a supplementary pedicle for the anterolateral thigh flap because of its high occurrence rate and distribution regularity.