Identifying and locating superior gluteal artery perforator on Vietnamese adults – A study for clinical applications

Abstract

Pedicled flap and free flap are two common types of superior gluteal artery (SGA) perforator flap (SGAP) used to cover lumbosacral soft tissue defects. In order to take advantage of the SGAP flap, all surgeons are required to have substantial knowledge of its cutaneous distribution of perforator. This study describes the anatomical characteristics of the perforators of SGA on Vietnamese adults; and locates the perforator of SGA on the gluteal region. We investigated the perforator’s origin and measured the length, diameter, course, and coordinates of each perforator on 32 Vietnamese adult cadavers at Department of Anatomy of Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, from Jan 2017 to June 2019. On average, SGA gives off 4-5 perforators, while none was found on the deep branch. The Average length of perforator from the skin to the dissecting point is short (5.5-7.5mm) compared to that of from skin to origin (4-9cm); diameter at origin is quite large (1mm). The chance of finding 3-5 perforators in the upper triangle is 75% and 87% on the right and left side, respectively. Also, the probability of finding a single perforator in the upper triangle is 100% based on the x-axis, most perforators are found in segment 2/5 to segment 3/5 with the center being the midpoint between two segments; based on the y-axis, most perforators are found in segment 1.5/5 to segment 3.5/5 with the center being the midpoint between the two. Thus, the probability of finding 3-5 perforators in the upper triangle is over 75% of the time, and the chance of finding a single perforator in the upper triangle is 100%. They are distributed from segment 2/5 to segment 3/5 on the x-axis and segment 1.5/5 to segment 3.5/5 on the y-axis. [ J Adv Biotechnol Exp Ther 2020; 3(2.000): 143-151]

Keywords

• superior gluteal artery; superficial branch; deep branch; perforator