An anatomic study of the perforators from the peroneal artery. A new method to locate the cutaneous perforator

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to investigate the anatomy of the perforators from the peroneal artery in Vietnamese patients. METHODS: 30 cadaver's legs were dissected and investigated for the distribution, course, origin, number and types of perforators of the peroneal artery. The locations of the exit points on the skin of perforators were marked in relation to reference points and segments. RESULTS: The total number of cutaneous perforating branches of the peroneal artery from 30 specimens was 149, which included 63 (42.2%) musculocutaneous perforators and 86 (57.8%) septocutaneous perforators. In most cases, the perforator branches were located in the range from 4 to 7 of the total fibula length (69.8%). The average number of perforating vessels in a leg was 4.9, ranging from 1 to 8 vessels. All the perforators were positioned behind the posterior border of the peroneal bone. In all the dissected samples presented, there was always one cutaneous perforator within a distance of 18 mm from the F point, which is the junction between the 6/10 and 7/10 segments at the posterior border of the fibular bone. CONCLUSION: The abundance of cutaneous perforators in Vietnamese patients can be used to plan various combined skin and bone flaps. A cutaneous perforator was consistently found near the F point, and this factor can be used in the planning of a bone flap with accompanying skin for monitoring survival of the underlying fibular bone flap.