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Anatomical Study of the Superior Auricular Artery Using 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography Angiography
Chao-Yang Chen1, Fang-Wei Li, Cheng-En Luo
1All authors are affiliated with the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Background:
The superior auricular artery (SAA)-retroauricular flap is commonly used for the repair of defects of the superior auricle. There are few studies about the anatomy of the SAA.
Objective:
This study mainly analyzed the anatomical pattern of SAA.
Materials And Methods:
Computed tomography (CT) was performed on 26 cadaver heads infused with lead oxide. The anatomical pattern of the SAA was statistically analyzed by 3-dimensional CT images.
Results:
The SAA was classified into 3 types according to whether it gave off the helix branch or the auricular dorsal branch. The SAA was located mainly in an area 2 cm above and below the horizontal line at the midpoint of the 2 base points (the otobasion superius and the apex of the external auditory canal). The origin of each branch of the SAA was mainly located in Areas 2, 3, and 4 within a circular area that had the otobasion superius as the center of the circle and a radius of 2 cm.
Conclusion:
In this study, the 3 anatomical types and anatomical patterns of the SAA were identified. These findings can provide a reference for the design of SAA-retroauricular flaps and for surgical planning.
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