Preoperative color Doppler ultrasound assessment of the lateral thoracic artery perforator flap and its branching pattern. Issue 6 (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tashiro, Kensuke; Harima, Mitsunobu; Mito, Daisuke; Shibata, Takashi; Furuya, Megumi; Kato, Motoi; Yamamoto, Takumi; Yamashita, Shuji; Narushima, Mitsunaga; Iida, Takuya; Koshima, Isao
• Is Part Of: Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery. Volume 68:Issue 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: e120
• Page End: e125
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Color doppler ultrasound -- Lateral thoracic artery perforator flap -- Supermicrosurgery -- Perforator-to-perforator anastomosis; Surgery, Plastic -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures -- Periodicals; Surgery, Plastic -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 617.9505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2015.02.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-6815

Abstract

Summary: The anatomy of the lateral thoracic artery perforator flap remains controversial, but this region is extremely useful as a reconstructive donor site. In this report, we describe the usefulness of the preoperative color Doppler ultrasound evaluation for the harvesting of the lateral thoracic artery perforator flap, and we clarify its branching pattern. Twenty-seven patients underwent the preoperative color Doppler ultrasound assessment before perforator flaps were harvested. We evaluated the branching pattern and the diameter of the flaps by direct observation. All flaps were successfully transferred, and it was found that the branching pattern of the lateral thoracic perforator is divided into three groups: the superficial branch, the medial branch, and the deep branch. Their appearance ratios were 48.1% (13/27), 14.8% (4/27), and 81.5% (22/27), respectively. The lateral thoracic artery perforator flap has a great deal of anatomical variation, and vessels with relatively small diameters compared to those of other flaps. This is why flaps from this region are not currently popular. This study revealed the superiority of the color Doppler ultrasound for preoperative planning of the lateral thoracic artery perforator flap elevation. Furthermore, the branching pattern and the diameters of the different branches were specified.