Musculocutaneus Island Flap Based on the Distal Vascular Pedicle of Gracilis Muscle

박근의 원위혈관경을 이용한 도서형 근피판술

The gracilis that is frequently used as a donor of free muscle trasfer is appropriate in the muscular shape and vascular position. This muscle is belonged to the second type of muscle group by the classification of the pattern of muscular nutrient vessel. The adductor branch or first perforating branch of deep femoral artery which supplies the proximal 1/3 of this muscle is a dominant one and this is used for the microscopic anastomosis of muscle or musculocutaneous flap. The minor vascular pedicles which enter the distal 1/3 of this of this muscle are branches of the superficial femoral artery and it is 0.5mm in diameter, 2cm in length with two venae comitantes. These minor pedicles supplies distal half of the gracilis muscle. This island musculocutaneous flap using distal vascular pedicle can be used to cover the defect of soft tissue around the distal femoral supra-condylar area, knee joint and proximal tibial condyle area which cause limitation of motion of knee joint, or in the cases that usual skin graft is impossible. The important operative procedure is as follows; The dissection is carried proximally and distally and the entire gracilis muscle including proximal and distal pedicle is completely dissected. After temporary blocking of the proximal vascular pedicle, the adequate muscle perfusion by the distal pedicle is identified and it is rotated to the recipient site around knee joint. The advantages of this procedure are simple, no need of microscopic vascular anastomoses and no significant functional loss of donor site. Especially in the cases of poor condition of the recipient vessel, this procedure can be used effectively. From 1991 to 1996, we performed 4 cases; complete survival of flap in 3 cases and partial survival of flap with partial necrosis in 1 case. This procedure is though to be useful in the small sized soft tissue defect of distal femoral supra-condylar area, knee joint and proximal tibial condylar area, especially in the defect of anterior aspect which expected to cause limitation of motion of knee joint due to scar contracture. But the problems of this procedure are the diameter of distal vascular pedicle is small and the location of distal vascular pedicle is not constant. To reduce the failure rate, identify the muscular perfusion of distal vascular pedicle after blocking the proximal pedicle, or strategic delay will be helpful.