Department of Anatomy, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou University-town, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2011 May;64(5):608-13. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2010.08.040. Epub 2010 Sep 25.
The submental flap, based on a large branch of the facial artery, is an excellent flap option which is most commonly used for head and neck reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to clarify aspects of the anatomy of the submental flap in order to improve the utility of this flap.
Ten cadavers were injected with a modified lead oxide-gelatin mixture. Four cadavers were selected for three-dimensional reconstruction using a spiral computed tomography scanner and specialised volume-rendering software. Dissection, angiography and photography of each layer were performed to outline the course of every perforator in the neck. The area of the vascular territory supplied by each source vessel was calculated. Surface areas were measured using Scion Image software.
The skin and muscles on the anterior neck and mandible are nourished by several arterial perforators: facial artery, superior thyroid artery, mental artery, lingual artery and the submental artery. The diameter of the submental artery was 1.7 ± 0.4mm at its origin from the facial artery. It sends 1.8 ± 0.6 perforators to the skin on its course towards the chin. The average size of the territory supplied was 45 ± 10.2 cm(2). Its largest perforating branch arises from behind the medial border of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle. There were multiple anastomoses between perforators from the submental artery, facial artery and sublingual artery.
This study clarifies the anatomy of the submental flap and provides a three-dimensional understanding to this important head and neck donor site.
颏下动脉皮瓣是基于面动脉的一个大分支，是头颈部重建中最常用的优秀皮瓣之一。本报告的目的是阐明颏下动脉皮瓣的解剖学特征，以提高该皮瓣的实用性。
10 具尸体被注射改良的氧化铅-明胶混合物。其中 4 具尸体使用螺旋 CT 扫描仪和专用容积再现软件进行三维重建。对每一层进行解剖、血管造影和摄影，以勾勒出颈部每个穿支的走行。计算了每个源血管供应的血管区域。使用 Scion Image 软件测量了表面区域。
颏下动脉、面动脉、甲状腺上动脉、颏下动脉、舌下动脉等动脉穿支为颏前区和下颌的皮肤和肌肉提供营养。颏下动脉在起源于面动脉处的直径为 1.7±0.4mm。它在向颏部走行的过程中发出 1.8±0.6 个皮穿支供应皮肤。供应区域的平均大小为 45±10.2cm2。其最大的穿支发自二腹肌前腹的内缘后面。颏下动脉、面动脉和舌下动脉的穿支之间存在多个吻合。
本研究阐明了颏下动脉皮瓣的解剖学特征，并为这个重要的头颈部供区提供了三维理解。
