The DIEA branching pattern and its relationship to perforators: The importance of preoperative computed tomographic angiography for DIEA perforator flaps

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Abdominal donor-site flaps based on the deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) are the most common flaps used in autologous breast reconstruction. With significant variation in the vascular anatomy of the DIEA, preoperative imaging is desirable. Computed tomographic angiography, recently described for this purpose, uniquely demonstrates the branching pattern of the DIEA. The authors sought to correlate the DIEA branching pattern to the location and course of perforators as a preoperative planning tool for perforator flaps. METHODS: Forty-five cadaveric hemi-abdominal walls were used for contrast injection of the DIEA with subsequent radiographic imaging. The branching pattern on ..