Free medial sural artery perforator flap for ankle and foot reconstruction

Resurfacing shallow defects over the ankle and foot with an appropriately thin flap is a common but difficult task. This can be accomplished by harvesting the medial sural artery perforator flap from the medial aspect of the upper calf. Based on the musculocutaneous perforator of the medial sural artery, this flap preserves the medial gastrocnemius muscle and avoids unnecessary flap bulkiness. Between January 2002 and February 2004, we used 2 variants of the free medial sural artery perforator flap for ankle and foot reconstruction in 13 patients (10 fasciocutaneous flaps and 3 adipofascial flaps). In these patients, skin defects were combined with bone, joint, or tendon exposure. The main advantage of this flap is that it provides a thin and pliable coverage to achieve better accuracy in the reconstructive site. Other advantages include maintaining the function of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, providing a long vascular pedicle, and avoiding the need to sacrifice major arteries of the leg. The main disadvantages are the tedious process of intramuscular retrograde dissection of the perforator and the unsightly skin graft over the medial calf.     

The medial sural artery as recipient vessel and the impact on the medial gastrocnemius

Microsurgical free tissue transfer is a valuable technique for the reconstruction of soft-tissue defects around the knee, and the medial sural artery (MSA) is an ideal recipient vessel for anastomosis. Previously, the vessel has been described as the dominant supply to the medial gastrocnemius, but no research has addressed the subsequent effect to the muscle after interruption of MSA. The volume of the postoperative medial gastrocnemius of 4 patients treated with free flap reconstruction using MSA as recipient, was assessed clinically and using magnetic resonance imaging, with muscle function assessed using a patient questionnaire, and measurement of ankle torque with concurrent electromyography. Magnetic resonance imaging volume assessment revealed the postoperative medial head of gastrocnemius proportional to its synergist of separate blood supply, the lateral gastrocnemius and functional assessment suggest little difference between limbs such that the MSA should be used with confidence as recipient vessel for free flap reconstruction of soft-tissue defects around the knee.     

FUNCTIONAL POPLITEAL ENTRAPMENT SYNDROME

Background : Classic popliteal artery entrapment is caused by the abnormal relationship between the popliteal artery and the medial head of the gastrocnemius, resulting in repetitive arterial compression and trauma. There is, however, a distinct subset of calf claudicants who have an anatomically normal popliteal fossa but can occlude the popliteal artery by repetitive vigorous exercise which involves active plantar flexion with or without extension at the knee joint. Methods : Eight patients who led a vigorous athletic lifestyle were evaluated with duplex scan and biplane angiogram after being referred for bilateral calf claudication. They were found to have significant stenosis or occlusion of the popliteal artery with active plantar flexion. All patients had transection of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle with release of any vascular bands tethering the popliteal artery. Results : Seven of the eight patients had complete relief. One patient noticed return of claudication at long distances, but a postoperative angiogram was normal. In all patients postoperative duplex scan showed no stenosis or occlusion of the popliteal vessels with the foot in active plantar flexion and the knee in extension. Conclusions : Functional popliteal artery entrapment is becoming a significant cause of disabling claudication in young athletic individuals and needs to be diagnosed accurately for appropriate treatment. This condition is becoming well known with the incorporation of sports in the daily routine of most young people.     

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. Reconstruction of the transected medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is an uncommon cause of arterial insufficiency, especially in younger, athletic patients. Surgical treatment should be performed in all cases of PAES whether the artery is occluded or not. Although transection of the compressing muscle or fascial band is required to obtain good results, controversy exists about reconstruction of the transected muscle or fascial band. We present a case of a young athlete with PAES for whom rapid recovery of the athletic activity was provided by reconstruction of the divided medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle.     

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. Report of two cases

We treated two patients with popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. In one, the popliteal artery was entrapped and obstructed in its abnormal course around the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, which was inserted into the femur laterally and cephalad (type II in Delaney's classification). In the other patient, the popliteal artery followed a normal course but was compressed laterally by the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, which was aberrantly inserted into the femur considerably higher and more lateral than usual, and was occluded. This could not be fitted into Delaney's or Insua's classification. Arterial reconstruction was successful with an autovein graft in the former case and an in situ bypass graft in the latter. We suggest a modification of type IV in Delaney's classification, so that when the popliteal artery is compressed by an aberrant muscular or tendinous structure in the popliteal fossa it can be included.     

The entrapment syndrome of the popliteal artery: diagnosis, therapy, results]

The popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is caused by an anatomical anomaly in the popliteal fossa. Mostly the popliteal artery is compressed by a faulty insertion of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. The main symptom is an intermittent claudication at an early age. We review our experience with four typical cases. All patients were examined because of a unilateral sudden claudication in the calf at ages between 23 and 43 years. In two patients we could find angiographically a typical stenosis, in two others a complete occlusion of the popliteal artery. Additionally a female patient showed a 6 x 8 cm poststenotic aneurysm in the popliteal fossa. Therapeutically we restored the flow of the artery on two patients by dividing the compressing gastrocnemius muscle. As a late complication two years after the first operation one of these patients had an occlusion of popliteal artery which was bypassed by a popliteo-crural vein graft. On two patients we primary inserted a vein graft. All patients were checked 6 months till 5 years after the first operation by duplex scanning, by measurement of pressure at the ankle and by pulse volume recording at the big toe. All our postoperative examinations demonstrate patency of the repairs and the patients have very few problems.     

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome in a young girl: case report of a rare finding

The popliteal artery (PA) entrapment syndrome, a rare cause of arterial thrombosis, is most often encountered in young male athletes. Here, we report a very unusual case of PA entrapment syndrome in a 14-year-old girl who presented with a 1-month history of calf claudication to our observation facility. Diagnostic work-up revealed obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and an aberrant accessory slip of the medial head of gastrocnemius around the PA. Arterial echo color Doppler ultrasonography and computed tomographic angiography studies were performed. Surgical treatment involved revascularization with resection of the medial head of gastrocnemius, the cause of the arterial entrapment, and enlargement angioplasty using an autologous saphenous vein patch, in combination with antiplatelet therapy, resulting in restitution ad integrum of the affected limb and, finally, an improved quality of life of the patient. This case underscores the importance of clinical suspicion, diagnosis, and treatment of lower-limb claudication in very young patients presenting with unusual symptoms. If missed, the condition may evolve dramatically. Prompt diagnosis and surgical treatment are key to complete recovery and the prevention of irreversible complications that may result in limb loss.     

The medial sural artery perforators: anatomic basis for a surgical plan

We performed an anatomic study on 20 fresh lower limbs. Resin was injected in the popliteal artery. Medial sural artery perforator flaps were sculptured according to anatomic markings. On average, length of flaps was 12.9 cm, width was 7.9 cm; all 38 perforators were musculocutaneous: 1 perforator was always found (on average, 1.9 per flap). All perforators gathered between 7 and 18 cm from the popliteal crease; 34.2% of perforators arose on the midline of the medial head of gastrocnemius muscle; before entering the fascia, the perforator artery diameter was on average 0.5 mm. Two configurations of the intramuscular course of perforators were found. Sixty-six percent of perforators originated from the lateral branch of the medial sural artery, 34% from the medial one. These results improve the anatomic knowledge of the medial posterior calf region and allow us to describe a convenient plan to make flap sculpturing easier.     

功能性腘动脉陷迫综合征的CTA解剖特点初探

目的运用CTA标线法探讨功能性腘动脉陷迫综合征(functional popliteal artery entrapment syndromef,PAES)是否存在"解剖畸形"。方法 2007～2011年手术确诊的14条fPAES患肢与180条对照肢体的CTA进行比较,并用CTA标线法分析腘窝轴位上两组的解剖位置差异。结果 fPAES组所有患肢腓肠肌内侧头向外移位且13条(93%)向外超过了腘动脉,所有腘动脉均向深方移位;对照组腓肠肌内侧头完全起自"股骨内侧髁后上方"(解剖学所描述的标准位置)的仅占12%(21/180);对照组21%(38/180)腓肠肌内侧头与腘动脉相对位置关系及38%(68/180)的腘动脉深浅位置关系不符合标准解剖。结论腓肠肌内侧头的外移普遍存在,解剖"移位"可能从量变到质变f,PAES可能是严重移位导致的结果。内侧头外移超越腘动脉及腘动脉向深方移位是fPAES两个有意义的观察指标。     

Gastrocnemius perforating artery flap including vascularized sural nerve

A degree of communication was found between the superficial sural artery (the concomitant vessel of the sural nerve) and the muscle perforators from the gastrocnemius muscle, together with the cutaneous branches of the peroneal artery. A fasciocutaneous flap designed in the posterior calf region, including the vascularized sural nerve, was elevated based on the perforating artery of the gastrocnemius. This compound flap was used to reconstruct facial nerves and soft-tissue defects created by resection of malignant tumors in three patients. The results were satisfactory, and facial animation returned in two patients, who were followed-up for more than 6 months. This compound flap offers several advantages, such as a long vascular pedicle with a sufficient diameter and a rich blood supply for the sural nerve and fasciocutaneous flap. This new technique should become another choice for vascularized sural nerve grafts, when the superficial sural artery or the cutaneous branches of the peroneal artery are not adequate for flap elevation or microsurgical anastomoses.     

Determination of Normal Calf and Ankle Values Among Medical Students

The current study was undertaken to determine the mean values of surface measurements from right and left calves and ankles. These measurements were taken from 150 second-year medical students (75 women and 75 men, ages 18 to 23 years) from Cukurova University in Turkey using a flexible standard measuring tape. The mean values for calf circumference, length of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, distance between the inferior border of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle and the medial malleolus of tibia, and ankle circumference were analyzed. The observations presented in the report have defined anatomic parameters that need to be taken into consideration when cosmetic surgical procedures are performed in the calf and ankle area for this population.     

Operative technique to harvest an arterial flap from the posterolateral calf region: how can we elevate a lateral gastrocnemius perforating artery flap safely?

The posterior calf region is a useful donor site for skin or composite flaps including muscle and/or nerves. We reported the first clinical use of the lateral gastrocnemius perforating artery flap including a vascularized sural nerve in 2003. This flap was elevated based on a perforator arising from the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle. However, we have since encountered vascular variations in these perforators. We subsequently developed a reliable technique for harvesting this flap in the course of treating 10 patients. Safe flap elevation from the lateral aspect of the posterior calf requires preservation of one of the superficial sural arteries until reliable perforators arising from gastrocnemius muscle lateral head are encountered during dissection. When such perforators are not observed, nutrient vessels such as superficial sural arteries or muscle perforators originating from vessels other than the lateral sural artery must be selected as a flap pedicle.     

An unusual variant of popliteal artery entrapment

A 43-year-old woman presented with incapacitating exertional pain in the right foot, ankle, and lower calf of 1 years' duration following a minor ankle sprain. Evaluation by several physicians had been inconclusive. Physical examination identified normal pedal pulses at rest but obliteration of pulses with active plantar flexion. Segmental pressures were normal at rest and duplex scanning showed occlusion of the popliteal artery with active plantar flexion. The findings were confirmed by arteriography despite a normal course of the popliteal artery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no muscular abnormality. At exploration entrapment was noted to be the result of compression by branches of the sural nerve and vein as they coursed medially inserting into the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Division of the neurovascular bundle resulted in complete resolution of symptoms and arterial compression on duplex examination postoperatively. This case was unusual because of the patient's age, sex, and the pathologic findings that had not been previously reported. In this case MRI was not useful in demonstrating a muscular or neurovascular bundle abnormality, supporting the use of duplex scanning as the noninvasive diagnostic modality of choice.Presented at the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Southern California Vascular Surgical Society, Coronado, Calif., September 16–18, 1994.     

切断一侧血管后腓肠肌供血的影像及应用解剖

目的 探讨切断腓肠肌内侧或外侧血管对腓肠肌血供的影响,为临床应用吻合腓肠肌血管的游离皮瓣修复下肢皮肤软组织缺损提供理论依据.方法 用造影剂泛影葡胺灌注16侧结扎腓肠肌内侧或外侧血管后的新鲜成人下肢腘血管,进行横断面血管切割点的统计学分析;观测腓肠肌血管及其分支、管径、蒂部和交通支情况;制备动脉管道铸型标本,观察腓肠肌血管的血管分布情况.结果 在切断一侧腓肠肌血管的情况下.有来自腓肠肌内、外侧头之间的交通支和来自比目鱼肌交通支的血液供应该侧腓肠肌,其中来自比目鱼肌的交通支管径较粗,但数量少,且多出现在腓肠肌肌腹下1/3的位置,位置较恒定.腓肠肌内、外侧头之间的交通支主要出现在腓肠肌中下1/3,与腓肠神经营养血管轴相交通,外径多在0.5 mm以下.结论 腓肠肌的血供为多源性,结扎腓肠肌的内侧或外侧动脉后,腓肠肌完全可以通过吻合支获得足够的血液供应.     

Anatomic basis of the gastrocnemius perforator-based flap.

The gastrocnemius muscle is rarely considered today as a musculocutaneous flap. Yet, the posterior calf skin by itself can still be used to advantage as a source of local or perhaps free flaps. Fascial perforators in this region were reexamined in an anatomic study in 10 fresh cadaveric specimens to investigate the possibility of a gastrocnemius muscle perforator-based flap. At least two substantive perforators were found in all limbs, and there was always one overlying the medial gastrocnemius muscle (overall mean, 4.0 +/- 1.8 perforators; range, 2-7 perforators). The origin of these perforators in any given specimen was most commonly as a secondary branch from the medial or lateral sural arteries alone (60%), from the median sural artery as a direct cutaneous branch alone (10%), or from either of the muscle pedicles and/or the median sural artery (30%). Thus, in 90% of limbs, the potential for elevating a gastrocnemius perforator-based flap exists without the need for any muscle sacrifice. Otherwise, a more traditional posterior calf fasciocutaneous flap was possible. Other deeper intramuscular collaterals were also identified so that sequential use of the muscle as a separate flap does not seem to be compromised.     

Bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome —Report of a case—

A 15-year old female presented with bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. The left popliteal artery was completely occluded and thromboendarterectomy was performed. Angiography on passive dorsiflexion revealed compression of the right popliteal artery, although it was free of symptoms and of normal caliber. End-to-end anastomosis in the normal anatomical position without division of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle was performed on both sides.     

Pedicled chimeric gastrocnemius—medial sural artery adipofascial flap for reconstruction of anterolateral defects of the knee

A medial gastrocnemius muscle flap is useful for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee and proximal tibia but insufficient to cover defects involving the lateral aspect of the knee. The purpose of this report is to present the results of the use of a pedicled chimeric gastrocnemius—medial sural artery adipofascial flap for reconstruction of defects of the knee and lateral aspect of the knee. Six patients underwent soft tissue reconstruction of the knee by means of the described procedure. Patients included one female and five males. The mean age of the patients was 48 years. The cause of soft tissue defects was open fractures in three cases and infection in three cases. The mean size of soft tissue defects was 9.3 × 7 cm (range: 6 × 3 to 18 × 14 cm), and the mean size of adipofascial components was 6.8 × 3.8 cm (range: 6 × 3 to 10 × 6 cm). Medial knee defects were covered by the medial gastrocnemius muscle component and lateral knee defects were covered by the medial sural artery adipofascial component. All flaps survived in the six cases. Soft tissue reconstruction and infection control were successful without any additional surgical procedures. A pedicled chimeric gastrocnemius–medial sural artery adipofascial flap may be considered effective for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee as it reduces scars at the donor site and reconstructs the lateral knee defects not covered by the medial gastrocnemius muscle flap. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 37:206–211, 2017.     

Surgical treatment for acute ischemia caused by bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome in an elderly patient: report of a case

We report the unusual case of a 73-year-old man who underwent surgery for bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES). A medial approach was used to operate on the left leg, and the vein bypass was made from the superficial femoral artery to the crural artery through a subfascial route. A posterior approach was used to operate on the right leg and it was found that the mid-popliteal artery passed medial to and beneath the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle and was severely compressed by an accessory slip of muscle. The vein bypass from the above-knee to below-knee popliteal artery was established through the original route after resection of the accessory slip of muscle. A postoperative arteriogram showed good bypass flow to the bilateral crural arteries. To our knowledge, this case represents the oldest patient with this disorder to be treated by surgery. Received: January 7, 2002 / Accepted: May 7, 2002 Reprint requests to: T. Sugimoto     

Iatrogenic entrapment: femoro-popliteal vein bypass graft

A rare cause of occlusive vascular disease is the "Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome." The most common cause of this problem is abnormal position of the popliteal artery caused by abnormal migration of the medial head of the gastrocnemius. An acquired form can occur because of tunneling defects by inadvertent placement of venous bypass graft medial to the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. We present 2 cases of iatrogenic entrapment of the femoropopliteal bypass graft. Investigations revealed compression of the graft with extension of the knee. Both cases were treated surgically. Intraoperatively there was evidence of compression of the graft between the tendons of the semitendinosus and the gracilis muscles and the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Treatment involved division of the medial head of the gastrocnemius in 1 patient, and in the other, the tendons of gracilis and semitendinosus were divided. No compression of the graft was noted postoperatively by noninvasive test. No significant mobility issues caused by the division of muscle or the tendons were present in the postoperative period.     

腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经切断小腿减肥术应用解剖及临床效果观察

目的介绍将腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经切断使之萎缩,改善小腿粗壮外形的方法。方法解剖20具尸体腿,观察、测量腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经,为手术提供解剖学基础。对16例腓肠肌内侧头肥大者行腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经切断小腿减肥术,测量并记录小腿周径和外形变化。结果腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经在窝处从胫神经发出,以独立1支走向肌门者占40%,中途分成2支者占30%,与腓肠内侧皮神经共干起始者占30%。以股骨内上髁水平线为基线,该肌支起点平均高度为(-6.6±13.7)mm,起始处宽度(2.3±0.4)mm,长度为(42±12)mm。16例术后小腿最大周径平均缩减(3.5±1.1)cm,内侧曲线平缓。术后早期可下地行走,无明显肿胀。随访半年,日常活动未受影响。结论腓肠肌内侧头肌支神经切断小腿减肥术简便、安全、效果明显,不影响受术者的行走功能。