Abstract
Background Clinically, there has been increasing employment of the lateral femoral condyle flap.
The objective of this study was to explore the vascular anatomy of the lateral femoral
condyle in pigs and to explore the feasibility of using pigs as an animal model of
the lateral femoral condyle flap.
Methods A total of 20 fresh cadaveric hindlimbs of 4-week-old hybrid pigs were used in this
study. The origination, course, and branches of the nourishing vessels of the lateral
femoral condyle were observed in 15 specimens. The primary parameters included the
variability in the anatomy of the vessels and the length and outer diameter of the
vessels. Surgical procedures for the lateral femoral condyle flap were conducted on
five specimens.
Results The primary nourishing arteries of the lateral femoral condyle in pigs were the first
superolateral geniculate artery, which was observed in all 15 specimens and had a
diameter and length of 1.99 ± 0.44 mm and 2.27 ± 0.46 cm, respectively, as measured
at their origination. The operation was performed in the lateral position. A 10-cm
skin incision was made from the lower edge of the patella to the posterior lateral
side of the distal femur. After blunt dissection of the intermuscular septum between
the biceps femoris and vastus lateralis, the whole course of the first superolateral
geniculate artery was exposed.
Conclusion The vascular anatomy of the lateral femoral condyle in pigs and that of humans exhibited
great similarities. The harvesting of the lateral femoral condyle flap in pigs was
as easy as that in humans. Pigs could serve as a suitable animal model for the lateral
femoral condyle flap.
Keywords
animal model - flap - lateral femoral condyle - pig - surgery
