A new composite flap: rectus abdominis muscle flap harvested with pubic bone segment--anatomic considerations

The aim of this study was to incorporate a segment of pubic bone to rectus abdominis muscle (RAM). Eight RAM flaps from four fresh cadavers were used. During surgical dissection, utmost care was paid to enclose the areolar tissue between the main deep inferior epigastric (DIE) vessels and the pubic bone. A bone segment, 1.5 x 5 cm in dimension with an intact periosteum, was included with the RAM. Surgical dissections revealed two major vascular branches. The first branch arising from the DIE artery (DIEA) at a distance of 5.2 +/- 1.4 cm from the origin gave rise to two consistent subbranches. The second major branch originated from the DIEA at a distance of 8.4 +/- 1.8 cm from the origin. The first branch gave off two subbranches. The second subbranch coursed anteromedially and nourished the periosteum of the pubic bone. Microangiography showed a similar branching pattern of the vessels that create two significant networks. The X-rays confirmed a rich vascular network around the periosteum of the pubic bone. This wealthy nourishment of the pubic periosteum comes mainly from the perpendicular descending branches. In conclusion, a vascularized part of pubic bone can be incorporated to the RAM flap by preserving the delicate vascular network between the DIE vessels and the pubic periosteum.