Applied anatomy and clinical significance of the ramified musculocutaneous flap pedicled with the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery

Objective: To provide anatomic basis for the design and application of the ramified musculocutaneous flap pedicled with the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. Methods: Initiation points, external diameters of the lateral circumflex femoral artery, length and branches of the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery and the distribution of the femoral nerve were observed on 16 sides of 8 adult lower limbs. Results: For 14 cases, the distance from the initiation point of lateral circumflex femoral artery to the middle point of the crural ligament was about (5.3±0.8)cm with its external diameter of (5.8±0.9)mm; The distance between the initiation point of lateral and medial branches of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and the initiation point of the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery was about(5.4±1.5)cm, while the length of the lateral branch (4.8±0.8)cm, and the length of the medial branch(10.2±2.6)cm; For 2 cases, lateral and medial branches initiated from the deep femoral artery. The arteries above and its branches accompanied by the muscular branches of the femoral nerves. Conclusions: (1) The descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery and its branches can be used to design the ramified musculocutaneous flap; (2) The distance between muscle flaps and skin flaps can be adjusted according to the needs; Muscle flap can be obtained without the destroy of the function of vastus lateralis.