Standardize routine angiography assessment of leg vasculatures before fibular flap harvest: lessons of congenital and acquired vascular anomalies undetected by color Doppler and physical examinations.

BACKGROUND: Fibular flaps have been widely used for mandibular and maxillary reconstructions. On occasion, anatomical variants of fibular arteries (FA) will be encountered. PURPOSE: Although anatomical variants of FA during fibular harvest have been reported, controversy exists regarding whether simple color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) and physical examinations (PE) are sufficient for early preoperative detection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 10-year retrospective analysis in our department was performed to find the patients with various FA anomalies confirmed by computed tomography angiography (CTA) or intraoperative findings. RESULTS: A total number of 19 FA anomalies were found either pre- or intraoperatively in 16 patients, in whom three cases were with bilateral FA variants. Type IIIC variants, also called arteria peronea magna (great peroneal artery), were confirmed in two legs, while the majority (13 legs) had type IIIA hypoplastic/aplastic posterior tibialis arteries (PTA). Four legs had new type IIID (low FA and PTA bifurcations). Preoperative CDU and PE only suspected anomalies in two legs. Six cases proceeded with using the affected fibulas, within whom vascular grafts were used in half of them for lengthening the FA pedicle. Local ischemia, partial soleus muscle necrosis, and claudication were reported in one. CONCLUSIONS: Routine CTA before every fibular harvest, rather than simple PE and CDU, should be added for screening contraindications and ensuring safety for fibular flap harvest.

The Aberrant Anterior Tibial Artery and its Surgical Risk.

Vascular injury to the popliteal artery during knee surgery is uncommon, but it has significant consequences not only for the patient but also to the surgeon since it poses the threat of malpractice litigation. The vascular anatomy of the lower extremity is variable especially when it involves both the popliteal artery and its branches. An aberrant vascular course may increase the risk of iatrogenic vascular injury during surgery. Careful preoperative planning with advanced imaging can decrease the risk of a devastating vascular injury.

Arterial fragility in kyphoscoliotic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Pathogenic variants in the lysyl-hydroxylase-1 gene (PLOD1) are responsible for the kyphoscoliotic type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). The disease is classically responsible for severe hypotonia at birth, progressive kyphoscoliosis, generalised joint hypermobility and scleral fragility. Arterial fragility is an important feature of the disease, but its characterisation remains limited. We report the clinical history of a 41-year-old woman who presented repeated arterial accidents, which occurred in previously normal medium size arteries within a limited time span of 2 years. Molecular investigations revealed compound heterozygosity for two PLOD1 gene deletions of exons 11-12 and 14-15. Arterial fragility is an important characteristic of kyphoscoliotic EDS. It manifests as spontaneous arterial rupture, dissections and dissecting aneurysms which may occur even during early childhood. This fragility is particularly likely to manifest during surgical intervention. Early medical management and surveillance may be indicated, but its modalities remain to be defined.

Deficient dorsalis pedis flow in severe idiopathic clubfeet: Does Ponseti casting affect the outcome?

BACKGROUND: Arterial deficiency in congenital clubfoot or congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) was postulated as either the primary cause of deformity or secondary manifestation of other bony and soft tissue abnormalities. The objectives of the study were to find any association between arterial deficiency with severity of CTEV and its treatment. METHOD: This prospective study conducted on 24 feet with CTEV (18 babies) with Pirani score ranging between 2 to 6. Eighteen normal babies (36 feet) were selected as control. We used Color Doppler Ultrasound to assess dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries before initiating the treatment. Second ultrasound was performed in study group upon completion of Ponseti treatment. RESULTS: The patients were from one week to 15 weeks of life. Dorsalis pedis arterial flows were absent in 7 clubfeet (29.1%) while the remaining 17 clubfeet (70.8%) had normal flow. There was a significant association between Pirani severity score and vascular status in congenital clubfoot. There was a higher proportion of clubfeet having abnormal vascularity when the Pirani severity score was 5 and more. In study group, posterior tibial arteries were detectable and patent in all feet. All normal feet in control group had normal arterial flow. There was a significant difference in vascular flow before and after the Ponseti treatment (p 0.031). CONCLUSION: The study concludes that there is an association between Pirani severity score and arterial deficiency in CTEV. Ponseti treatment is safe in CTEV with arterial deficiency and able to reconstitute the arterial flow in majority of cases.

Giant Anterior Tibial Artery Pseudoaneurysm Successfully Treated on the USNS Mercy.

The need for an experienced vascular surgeon in the combat setting is not questioned; however, there is a paucity of literature exploring the utility of vascular surgery during an elective humanitarian mission. We herein present a case of a post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the anterior tibial artery treated in the context of a humanitarian mission during Pacific Partnership 2015 aboard the United States Naval Ship Mercy. This case report demonstrates the necessity and unique opportunities for vascular surgeons to participate in humanitarian surgery.

The evidence-based surgical anatomy of the popliteal artery and the variations in its branching patterns.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study was to analyze the prevalence of branching pattern variations in the popliteal artery (PA) along with morphometrics of the PA to better address its importance in disease and vascular surgical procedures. METHODS: An extensive search for the PA and its anatomic variations was done in the major online medical databases. The anatomic data found were extracted and pooled for a meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies (N = 12,757 lower limbs) were included in the analysis. The most common variant was a division of the PA below the knee into the anterior tibial artery and a common trunk for the posterior tibial and peroneal arteries, with a prevalence of 92.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.2-93.8). The second most common variation was a trifurcation pattern of all three branches dividing within 0.5 cm of each other, with a prevalence of 2.4% (95% CI, 1.4-3.5). Of the three studies that reported the diameter of the PA at the level of the subcondylar plane, a mean diameter of 8 mm (95% CI, 7.29-8.70) was found. CONCLUSIONS: The PA most commonly divides below the knee into the anterior tibial artery and the common trunk of the posterior tibial artery and the peroneal artery. Knowledge of the prevalence of possible variations in this anatomy as well as morphometric data is crucial in the planning and execution of any surgical intervention in the area of the knee.

Aplastic Posterior Tibial Artery in the Presence of Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture Dislocation Resulting in Below-the-Knee Amputation.

We present an interesting, but unfortunate, case of an 86-year-old female who sustained a trimalleolar ankle fracture dislocation that resulted in below-the-knee amputation after open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report describing popliteal variants that ultimately resulted in critical limb ischemia and below-the-knee amputation after foot and ankle trauma. The anatomic variation altered the expected outcome from a relatively straightforward surgical case. We introduce the previously described lower extremity Allen test and describe how it can be a useful adjunct in the initial physical examination of lower extremity trauma. The ability to identify abnormal distal perfusion to the foot could provide enough insight to warrant evaluating the patient with angiography or computed tomography angiography.

Aberrant Lower Extremity Arterial Anatomy in Microvascular Free Fibula Flap Candidates: Management Algorithm and Case Presentations.

An accurate and comprehensive understanding of lower extremity arterial anatomy is essential for the successful harvest and transfer of a free fibula osteoseptocutaneous flap (FFF). Minimum preoperative evaluation includes detailed history and physical including lower extremity pulse examination. Controversy exists regarding whether preoperative angiographic imaging should be performed for all patients. Elevation of an FFF necessitates division of the peroneal artery in the proximal lower leg and eradicates its downstream flow. For patients in whom the peroneal artery comprises the dominant arterial supply to the foot, FFF elevation is contraindicated. Detailed preoperative knowledge of patient-specific lower extremity arterial anatomy can help to avoid ischemia or limb loss resulting from FFF harvest. If preoperative angiographic imaging is omitted, careful attention must be paid to intraoperative anatomy. Should pedal perfusion rely on the peroneal artery, reconstructive options other than an FFF must be pursued. Given the complexity of surgical decision making, the authors propose an algorithm to guide the surgeon from the preoperative evaluation of the potential free fibula flap patient to the final execution of the surgical plan. The authors also provide 3 clinical patients in whom aberrant lower extremity anatomy was encountered and describe each patient's surgical course.

Clinical features of a rare anatomical variation of the posterior tibial and fibular arteries / Aspectos clínicos de uma variação anatômica rara das artérias tibial posterior e fibular

Abstract The posterior tibial artery normally arises from tibial-fibular trunk at the popliteal fossa, together with the fibular artery. The classic course of the posterior tibial artery is to run between the triceps surae muscle and muscles of the posterior compartment of the leg before continuing its course posteriorly to the medial malleolus, while the fibular artery runs through the lateral margin of the leg. Studies of both arteries are relevant to the fields of angiology, vascular surgery and plastic surgery. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of an anastomosis between the posterior tibial artery and the fibular artery in their distal course. The two arteries joined in an unusual “X” format, before division of the posterior tibial artery into plantar branches. We also provide a literature review of unusual variations and assess the clinical and embryological aspects of both arteries in order to contribute to further investigations regarding these vessels.

Resumo A artéria tibial posterior e a artéria fibular se originam do tronco tibiofibular, na fossa poplítea. A trajetória clássica da artéria tibial posterior é correr entre o tríceps sural e os músculos do compartimento posterior da perna, e, então, seguir posteriormente ao maléolo medial. Já a artéria fibular corre na margem lateral da perna, seguindo profundamente aos músculos. O estudo dessas artérias é relevante para o campo da angiologia, cirurgia vascular e cirurgia plástica. O presente trabalho é o primeiro relato de caso de uma anastomose entre ambas artérias, na porção distal de suas trajetórias. Tais artérias se anastomosaram em formato de “X”, antes da divisão da artéria tibial posterior em ramos plantares. Foi feita uma revisão de literatura das variações de tais artérias, dando ênfase ao aspecto clínico e embriológico, de modo a contribuir para novas investigações sobre esses vasos.

Ultrasound in diagnosis of anatomical variation of anterior and posterior tibial arteries.

AIMS: Knowledge about branching pattern of the popliteal artery is very important in any clinical settings involving the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. This study aims to elucidate the anatomical variation patterns and common types of anterior tibial artery (ATA) and posterior tibial arteries (PTA) in the general population in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anatomical variations of ATA, PTA, and peroneal artery were evaluated with ultrasound in a total of 942 lower extremity arteries in 471 patients. RESULTS: Three patterns of course in the PTA were ultrasonographically identified: 1) PTA1: normal anatomy with posterior tibial artery entering tarsal tunnel to perfuse the foot (91.5%), 2) PTA2: tibial artery agenetic, and replaced by communicating branches of peroneal artery entering tarsal tunnel above the medial malleolus to perfuse the foot (5.9%), and 3) PTA3: hypoplastic or aplastic posterior tibial artery communicating above the medial malleolus with thick branches of peroneal artery to form a common trunk entering into the tarsal tunnel (2.4%). In cases where ATA was hypoplastic or aplastic, thick branches of the peroneal artery replaced the anterior tibial artery to give rise to dorsalis pedis artery, with a total incidence of 3.2 % in patients, and were observed more commonly in females than in males. Hypoplastic or aplastic termini of ATA and PTA, with perfusion of the foot solely by the peroneal artery, was identified in 1 case. In another case, both communicating branches of the peroneal artery and PTA entered the tarsal tunnel to form lateral and medial plantar arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical variation of ATA and PTA is relatively common in the normal population. Caution should be exercised with these variations when preparing a peroneal artery vascular pedicle flap grafting. Ultrasound evaluation provides accurate and reliable information on the variations.

Posterior Tibial Arterial System Deficiency Mimicking Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome: A Case Report.

CASE: A 15-year-old female competitive high school basketball player presented as an outpatient with a 3-month history of bilateral exertional calf pain. Patient history and compartment pressure measurements were consistent with the diagnosis of chronic exertional compartment syndrome, and the patient underwent bilateral fasciotomies. Postoperatively, her symptoms recurred and she was found to have a deficient posterior tibial arterial system bilaterally, as confirmed on advanced imaging. CONCLUSION: We advocate the careful consideration of vascular etiologies in athletes who present with exertional leg pain.

Use of polymethylmethacrylate in treatment of arteriovenous angiodysplasia with bone lesions.

Arteriovenous dysplasia is rather uncommon disease, quite often leading to severe complications even in young age. Involvement of the osseous apparatus into the pathological process is frequently associated with the problem of amputation of the affected limb. Therefore, salvage of the extremity while removing arteriovenous shunt and trophic impairments is an extremely important clinical task. In the presented herein clinical case report, a female patient with arteriovenous angiodysplasia of the lower limb with the tibial bone involved into the pathological process underwent repeated stagewise embolisations, failing however to achieve complete liquidation of the arteriovenous reflux. In this connection, after removal of angiomatous tissues, requiring also excochleation of the damaged portions of the bone, in order to reinforce the axis of the tibial bone the intramedullary canal of the latter was filled with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Expansion of the spectrum of auxiliary methods, besides the most frequently performed in such patients embolisations of afferent arteries and removal of angiomatous tissues would make it possible to increase radical nature of interventions with salvage of the supporting function of limbs.

A segmental hypoplastic anterior tibial artery coexisting with a hypertrophied perforating fibular artery a case report and clinical implications / Coexistencia de una arteria tibial anterior hipoplásica segmentaria con una arteria fibular perforante hipertrofiada. Reporte de caso e implicancias clínicas

Vascular injuries of the lower limb, especially from penetrating gunshot wounds, and peripheral arterial diseases are on the increase and management of these and many other lower limb injuries involve increasing usage of vascular interventions like by-pass surgery, per-cutaneous transluminal angioplasty, arterial cannulation, arterial bypass graft or minimally invasive measures like percutaneous trans-arterial catheterization, among others. A thorough knowledge of infrapopliteal branching most especially their pathways and luminal diameters are important to surgeons in selecting appropriate surgical interventions or procedures. We report the case in which one of the 3 terminal branches of the popliteal artery (PPA), the anterior tibial artery (ATA) of good caliber size at origin became hypoplastic in the anterior leg region after giving off numerous muscular branches. Continuing as an almost attenuated dorsalis pedis artery (aDPA) in the dorsum of the foot, the latter was reinforced by an enlarged hypertrophied fibular artery. This case illustrates yet the importance of the fibular artery as the dominant of the 3 infrapopliteal branching arteries, reinforcing or replacing the posterior tibial artery (PTA) when it is weak or absent by a strong communicating branch or, reinforcing a weak ATA and dorsalis pedis artery (DPA) by a strong perforating fibular artery as being reported. The PTA however travelled a normal course yielding the medial and lateral plantar arteries posterior to the abductor hallucis muscle. This case demonstrates the importance of collateral communications and reinforcements from other infrapopliteal arteries, whenever one of its members or subsequent branches are absent or hypoplastic. A very sound knowledge of the various branching patterns of the PPA can be gained via pre-operatively vascular angiography, designed to guide the surgeon in the selection of appropriate surgical interventions, adding value to patients care in helping to reduce iatrogenic surgical vascular complications and reduction in total number of limb loss.

Las lesiones vasculares de los miembros inferiores, especialmente las heridas penetrantes por arma de fuego y enfermedades arteriales periféricas, están en aumento. Su manejo, así como el de otras lesiones en los miembros inferiores, implican un mayor uso de intervenciones vasculares como la cirugía de by-pass, angioplastía transluminal percutánea, canulación arterial, injerto de derivación arterial o medidas mínimamente invasivas como el cateterismo transarterial percutáneo, entre otros. El conocimiento profundo de las ramificaciones infrapoplíteas, muy especialmente sus vías y diámetros luminales son importantes para los cirujanos en la selección de las intervenciones o procedimientos quirúrgicos apropiados. Presentamos un caso en el cual, una de las 3 ramas terminales de la arteria poplítea (APP), la arteria tibial anterior (ATA), de buen calibre en su origen se hizo hipoplásica en la región anterior de la pierna después de un desprendimiento de numerosas ramas musculares. Continuó como una arteria dorsal del pie (ADP) casi atenuada en el dorso del pie; esta última se vio reforzada por una amplia arteria fibular hipertrofiada. Este caso ilustra la importancia de la arteria fibular como dominante de las 3 ramificaciones de las arterias infrapoplíteas, un refuerzo o sustitución de la arteria tibial posterior (ATP) cuando es débil o está ausente, por una fuerte rama comunicante, o bien refuerzo de una débil ATA y ADP por una fuerte arteria fibular perforante como en el caso reportado. La ATP sin embargo tenía un trayecto con un curso normal generando las arterias plantares medial y lateral, posterior al músculo abductor del hállux. Este caso demuestra la importancia de las comunicaciones colaterales y refuerzos de otras arterias infrapoplíteas, cada vez que uno de sus componentes o ramas posteriores están ausentes o hipoplásicas. Un conocimiento detallado de los diferentes patrones de ramificación de la APP puede ser adquirido a través de una angiografía vascular previo a la cirugía, diseñada para guiar al cirujano en la selección de las intervenciones quirúrgicas adecuadas, agrega valor a la atención de los pacientes, ayuda a disminuir las complicaciones vasculares quirúrgicas iatrogénicas y reduce el número total de pérdidas de miembros inferiores.

Atypical presentation of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome: involvement of the anterior tibial artery.

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a rare condition that should be suspected in a young patient with exertional lower extremity pain. We report the case of an 18-year-old female volleyball player with bilateral exertional lower extremity pain who had been previously diagnosed with tendinitis and periostitis. Diagnostic studies showed entrapment of the left popliteal artery and the left anterior tibial artery. To our knowledge, there has only been 1 previous report of anterior tibial artery involvement in PAES.

Classification system for flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle variants within the leg: clinical correlations.

The flexor digitorum accessorius longus (FDAL), a variant leg muscle, can cause tarsal tunnel syndrome. This study was performed to classify the variants of the FDAL by dissection and to correlate the dissection results with clinical cases of tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by this muscle. Eighty lower limbs of embalmed Korean cadavers were dissected. MR images of two clinical cases of tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by the FDAL were correlated with the dissection results. The FDAL was observed in nine out of 80 specimens (11.3%) and it was classified into three types depending on its site of origin and its relationship to the posterior tibial neurovascular bundle (PTNV) in the leg. In Type I (6.3%), the FDAL originated in the leg and ran superficially along the PTNV, either not crossing (Type Ia, 3.8%) or crossing (Type Ib, 2.5%) the neurovascular bundle. In Type II (6.3%), it originated in the tarsal tunnel. Most FDALs followed a similar course in the tarsal tunnel and the plantar pedis. On correlating the MR images of the clinical cases with this classification, the FDAL corresponded to Types Ia and II. All three types of FDAL can compress the tibial nerve in the tarsal tunnel or the distal leg. Clarification of the topographical relationship between this muscle and the PTNV would help to improve the results of surgery for tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by the FDAL.

Angioplasty of the anterior tibial artery through an incidentally discovered persistent sciatic artery.

The persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare arterial variant. Patients may present with a spectrum of atherosclerotic disease, but aneurysm formation with thromboembolic complications is more common. Although no intervention is required for asymptomatic individuals, stenting for stenosis, thrombolysis for occlusion and even utilisation of the PSA for intrapelvic embolisation have been reported. Angioplasty via an incidentally discovered PSA has rarely been described.

Use of sclerotherapy for treatment of vascular malformation in a young girl.

Vascular malformations are difficult to treat because of poor results of treatment and recurrence of symptoms. Percutaneous and/or transluminal embolisation has refined the treatment of surface vascular lesions; especially with availability of variety of sclerosants.We report a case of a young girl with vascular malformation of right foot, which was treated with percutaneous sclerotherapy with sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS). Result was excellent and so far the patient is free of her symptoms.

Variations in anatomy of the popliteal artery and its side branches.

Knowledge of anatomic variations of the popliteal artery is essential for the management of peripheral vascular disease and in orthopedic surgery. The aim of this study was to perform an overview of the literature describing variations of the popliteal artery. To identify relevant literature, we performed a systematic search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. We included 4 studies of anatomic dissections and 11 radiologic retrospective series, comprising 7671 limbs, and a variation in popliteal branching was seen in almost 10%. The 3 most frequent variations in branching are a high origin of the anterior tibial artery, the trifurcation of the anterior tibial artery, peroneal artery, and posterior tibial artery, and a hypoplastic or aplastic posterior tibial artery. Awareness of the terminal branching pattern of the popliteal artery before intervention enhances the planning for successful operations and may reduce the incidence of serious, unexpected arterial injury.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome associated with a pulsating artery: effectiveness of high-resolution ultrasound in diagnosing tarsal tunnel syndrome.

We describe a patient with tarsal tunnel syndrome in whom ultrasound imaging revealed compression of the posterior tibial nerve by a pulsating artery. High-resolution ultrasound showed a round pulsating hypoechoic lesion in contact with the posterior tibial nerve. Ultrasound-guided injection of 0.5% lidocaine temporarily resolved the paresthesia. These findings suggest an arterial etiology of tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Intermittent foot claudication with active dorsiflexion: the seminal case of dorsalis pedis artery entrapment.

BACKGROUND: Atypical claudication is a relatively uncommon problem within the general population. However, suspicion for the diagnosis is raised when young and athletic patients present with symptoms of claudication during exercise. The most common causes of atypical claudication are anatomical variants, including popliteal artery entrapment syndrome and tarsal tunnel syndrome. These variants result in impaired arterial flow and nerve compression, respectively. In this report, we present a seminal case of dorsalis pedis artery entrapment by the extensor hallucis brevis tendon during active dorsiflexion of the foot. METHODS: The patient was a 42-year-old male without significant past medical history, who presented with claudication in both feet upon active dorsiflexion. He underwent dynamic arterial duplex studies that first revealed normal flow in the neutral position and then revealed complete cessation of flow in both duplex and Doppler modes on dorsiflexion of the foot. He also underwent dynamic magnetic resonance angiography of bilateral lower extremities that revealed an incomplete pedal arch with early termination of the posterior tibial artery on static images and termination of the dorsalis pedis artery at notching on the dorsum of the foot during dorsiflexion. The patient was taken to the operating room for bilateral dorsalis pedis artery exploration. During exploration, the patient was found to have entrapment of the dorsalis pedis artery by the extensor hallucis brevis (EHB) tendon. This was documented by both direct visualization and intraoperative cessation of Doppler signal on dorsiflexion. Since the EHB tendon provides only secondary function to the extensor hallucis longus (EHL) tendon, the EHB was transected near its insertion and transposed directly to the EHL tendon. This allowed for normal extensor function of the great toe and restored triphasic Doppler signals during dorsiflexion. CONCLUSION: Dorsalis pedis arterial entrapment is a novel cause of atypical claudication. It is extremely uncommon as patients must have both abnormal anatomy and an incomplete pedal arch to display symptoms. Similar to other entrapment syndromes, if identified before permanent arterial scarring, the treatment does not require a bypass procedure. Removal of the tendon along with transposition will allow cessation of symptoms without impaired dorsiflexion of the great toe.