Angiographic analysis of the first metatarsal arteries and its clinical applications

Twenty-five feet (18 patients) plus 2 traumatically amputated feet were used for angiographic analysis of the first metatarsal arteries. The author classified the first (dorsal and plantar) metatarsal arteries into three types: the first dorsal metatarsal artery, dominant type (seen in 17 feet), the first plantar metatarsal artery, dominant type (seen in 8 feet), and the intermediate type (seen in 2 feet). The serial angiograms taken under optimum conditions were of considerable value in preoperative assessment. Nine toe-to-hand, 1 toe-to-nose, 5 free flap, and 2 island flap transfers in which the foot was utilized as a donor site were successfully performed. Many of the procedures were undertaken with angiograms for reference. Anatomical studies of the first metatarsal artery reported in the literature are also discussed.