Raising perforator flaps for breast reconstruction: the intramuscular anatomy of the deep inferior epigastric artery.

BACKGROUND: The deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) perforator flap is used increasingly for breast reconstruction, preferred as a muscle-sparing operation over traditional transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flaps. Complications related to the inclusion of rectus abdominis include abdominal wall weakness and a predisposition to ventral abdominal wall hernias. DIEA perforator flaps still present this complication, with clinical experience demonstrating frequent transection of rectus fibers during dissection of perforators. Despite this, published descriptions of the DIEA in the literature describe a "direct" course through rectus abdominis. This study interprets these clinical findings by analyzing the intramuscular course of the perforators.

METHODS: The investigation was performed on 31 hemiabdominal walls from both fresh and embalmed cadavers, using a combination of dissection and radiography of multiple cross-sectional planes. Intramuscular distances were measured using the distances between entry and exit points of perforators from rectus abdominis muscle, allowing characterization of the intramuscular course.

RESULTS: Substantial longitudinal (mean, 1.52 cm; range, 0.2 to 4.1 cm) and transverse (mean, 1.32 cm; range, 0.3 to 3.5 cm) distances were traversed by each of the 76 perforators within the muscle.

CONCLUSIONS: A significant transverse distance was shown to be traversed by perforators, confirming the need for division of rectus abdominis fibers during operation. This information may help explain the clinical findings of abdominal wall morbidity following perforator flaps, and may pave the way for improved preoperative selection of patients for DIEA perforator flaps.