Anthropometric Study on Neurovascular Supply of the Gracilis Muscle in Korean

Nam, Yong Seok; Jin, Chang Zhu; Shin, Chae Soo; Paik, Doo Jin; Kim, Won Kyu; Lee, U Young; Han, Seung Ho

Abstract

Gracilis muscle, the most superficial to the adductor groups of muscles in the thigh, is widely used to make musculo-cutaneous flap because this muscle has several advantages; 1) Removal of the muscle does not elicit any functional deficit, 2) It is easy to make a flap, 3) It is able to make flaps of various sizes in according to the size of the wound. This study demonstrates the characteristics of the arterial supply of the gracilis muscle for flap. Total 102 thighs from 51 Korean cadavers (32 males/ 19 females), clinically normal and without deformity, were dissected and length and width of gracilis muscles were measured. The pattern of distribution of the arteries supplying the muscle were studied, and entering point of each arteries to the muscle were located in according to following point; A: Pubic tubercle, B: Medial condyle of femur and tibia on gracilis muscle. 1. The average width of gracilis muscle were 31.9 +/-8.1 mm. The length of female subjects was significantly shorter than that of male subjects. 2. Arteries supplying the gracilis muscle were obturator artery (11.0%), medial circumflex femoral artery (100%), first muscular branch of femoral artery (100%), second muscular branch of femoral artery (45.2%), third muscular branch of femoral artery (17.8%), and popliteal artery (9.6%). 3. Medial circumflex femoral artery had 1 -10 pedicles and divided into ascending, transverse and descending branches. The existence of ascending branches were 14.8%, the ascending and descending branches were 22.7%, the ascending, transverse and descending branches were 22.7%, the transverse and descending branches were 22.0%, and the only descending branches were 22.0%. 4. The frist muscular branch of femoral artery pierced the gracilis muscle at a distance which represented 61.9 +/-12.8% of the length from A to B. The external diameter were 1.4 +/-0.4 mm. 5. Obturator nerves reached the gracilis muscle at a distance which represented 29.0 +/-7.4% of the length from A to B. The maximum external width and length were 1.0 +/-0.4 mm and 59.7 +/-25.0 mm, respectively. In conclusion, the length and width of the gracilis muscle in Korean were different depending on gender. These data also provides the anatomical characteristics of the arterial supply of the gracilis muscle in Korean in clinical relevance with musculocutaneous flap