Arterial anatomy of the hallucal sesamoids |
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| Authors: | Bjoern Rath Hans‐Peter Notermans Daniel Frank Juergen Walpert James Deschner Christian M. Luering Franz X. Koeck Juergen Koebke |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Regensburg, Bad Abbach, Germany;2. Department of Anatomy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany;3. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, St. Remigius Hospital Leverkusen, Leverkusen, Germany;4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fleetinsel Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany;5. Department of Periodontology, Operative and Preventive Dentistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to analyze the arterial supply of the sesamoid bones of the hallux. Twenty‐two feet from adult cadavers were injected with epoxide resin or an acrylic polymer in methyl methacrylate (Acrifix®) and subsequently processed by two slice plastination methods and the enzyme maceration technique. Afterwards, the arterial supply of the sesamoid bones was studied. The first plantar metatarsal artery provided a medial branch to the medial sesamoid bone. The main branch of the first plantar metatarsal artery continued its course distally along the lateral side of the lateral sesamoid and supplied it. The supplying arteries penetrated the sesamoid bones on the proximal, plantar, and distal sides. The analysis and cataloging of the microvascular anatomy of the sesamoids revealed the first plantar metatarsal artery as the main arterial source to the medial and lateral sesamoid bones. In addition, the first plantar metatarsal artery ran along the lateral plantar side of the lateral sesamoid bone, suggesting that this artery is at increased risk during soft‐tissue procedures such as hallux valgus surgery. Clin. Anat. 22:755–760, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. |
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| Keywords: | sesamoid bones arterial supply plastination first plantar metatarsal artery |
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