Anatomic Study Of Supratrochlear Artery And Its Stable Cutaneous Branch In Nasal Reconstruction With Forehead Flap

Objective: Further understanding the level of the supratrochlear artery trunkwalking, direction and the disposable range; Understanding the anastomosisbetween supratrochlear artery and peripheral vessel; Understanding whether thesupratrochlear artery has stable cutaneous branch and the range of cutaneousbranches’ skin, so we can provide anatomical theoretical basis for ultra-thinforehead flap and muscle flap which use fixed cutaneous branch as blood supplyin clinical nasal reconstruction.Methods:10adult head specimens (20sides) were used for observation of thecourse, then cutting them step by step in accordance with the inner canthus-double eyelid Line-zygomatic arch side. The initial position, the layer, the courseof the supratrochlear artery, and the communication between the supratrochlearartery and other arteries were recorded. The horizontal line of inner canthus andthe frontal middle line were used as X and Y axis to locate the position ofsupratrochlear artery.Results: The supratrochlear artery was (6.85±0.94) cm long and exited theforamen supratrochlear and ascended inward. The course of the supratrochlearartery was divided into three parts: part I, the artery was located between thecorrugator and orbicularis oculi muscles; part Ⅱ, the artery passed through thefrontalis horizontally from the orbit which was (2.88±0.23) cm from thehorizontal line of inner canthus and (1.33±0.17) cm from the midline of face.; partⅢ, the artery went subcutaneously after muscle penetration point. All arteriesgave of constant cutaneous branch (2.83±0.22) cm from the horizontal line of inner canthus and(1.34±0.21) cm from the midline of face. The cutaneous branchgrew up and inward at the angle of46.6°±10.1°with the origin and parallel withthe main part of supratrochlear artery; the supratrochlear artery communicatedwith the branch of the supraorbital artery and the frontal branch of the superficialtemporal artery and they communicated with each other from one side to the other;the supratrochlear vein showed up together with the supratrochlear artery at mosttime and located at the inner side of it. They combined loosely and the distancebetween them were (0.66±0.25) cm from the beginning of the supratrochlearartery.Conclusion: The supratrochlear artery goes more superficially and it has constantcutaneous branch which are (2.83±0.22) cm from the horizontal line of innercanthus and (1.34±0.21) cm from the midline of face. We can design the frontalultra-thin flap or muscle-skin flap with the cutaneous branch. The characteristic ofthe supratrochlear artery is that it has stable cutaneous branch which providesanatomical theoretical basis for designing ultra-thin flap in nasal reconstruction;Because of the communication between the supratrochlear artery and the venaesupratrochleares are loosely, we need to retain the corresponding width in thepreparation of the pedicle in order to prevent flap congestion necrosis due to thesupratrochlear vein injury.