The Applied Anatomical Observation Of Blood Supply Of The Lateral Calcaneus

Objective: To describe the blood supply of lateral calcaneus from an applied anatomical point and detect the influence of the vascular network of lateral calcaneus by the"standard"lateral extensile approach.Methods: human cadaveric lower extremity specimens, injected with red latex from arteries, and casting specimens were used in present study. Observations were focused on the vascular network characteristics, such as origin, distributions and anastomoses.Results: There were three arteries were consistently found in the lateral region of calcaneus, they were identified as the lateral calcaneal artery(LCA), the lateral malleolar artery(LMA) and the lateral tarsal artery(LTA). The LCA was originated from the peroneal artery and/or the posterior tibial artery. In the insertion site of the Achilles tendon, the LCA located 8-15mm anterior to the anterior edge of the Achilles tendon with a diameter of 0.9-1.3mm. It then curved down and laterally to the base of the fifth metatarsal. As it passed distally, the LCA anastomosed with the LMA (beneath the peroneal tendons, distal to the tip of fibula ) and the LTA (proximal to the base of the fifth metatarsal), and gave off numerous perforators and terminal branches to form abundant arterial anastomoses and network along its path.Conclusions: 1.There were three arteries found in the lateral region of calcaneus, the lateral cacaneal artery appeared to be responsible for the majority of the blood supply. These three arteries anastomosed each other...