MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF THE ARTERIES OF THE POSTERIOR SURFACE OF THE TIBIA

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Aim. The study of the morphometric details of the arteries of the posterior surface of the tibia. Material and Methods. Fifteen Greek adult cadavers (mean age, 81.06 years) were dissected in the popliteal fossa and the posterior surface of the tibia. Popliteal artery (PA), anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery (PTA), fibular artery (FA) and nutrient fibular artery (NFA) were identified. The mean length of the fibula, the mean distance between the head of the fibula and the PTA, FA and NFA origins, the mean PA diameter at the highest point of the fibular head, the mean PTA and FA diameters at their point of origin and the mean NFA diameter at the entrance point to the fibula were measured. Results and Discussion. The mean length of the fibula was 37.05 cm and the mean PA diameter was 6.06 mm. The PTA originated at a distance 8.03 cm from the fibular head with a mean diameter of 3.67 mm. The FA originated at a distance 8.03 cm from the fibular head with a mean diameter of 3.54 mm. The NFA originated at a distance 15.7 cm from the fibular head with a mean diameter 1.3 mm, at its entrance point to the fibula. In 95% of the cases, the PTA entered at the middle third of the fibula. In cases where the NFA was given off from a muscular branch of the FA, the mean distance of the artery’s origin from the fibular head was 15.7 cm. Twenty-eight cases of a single FA (93.3%), 1 case of a duplicated FA and 1 case of absence (3.33%) were detected. The PA bifurcated in a PTA and a FA, at the level of the fibular head in 3.3%. In 6.6%, the PTA was hypoplastic, while the FA diameter was 3.8 mm. Conclusions. The position of FA and NFA insertion and particularly the entrance point of the NFA to the fibula have clinical implications for the harvest of osteocutaneous vascularized flaps.