1. Anatomic characterization of the tibial and fibular nutrient arteries in humans
- Author
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Tatsuo Sakai, Takayuki Miyaki, Hidaka Anetai, Riku Sakamoto, Kota Kato, Shota Kinose, Hiroyuki Kudoh, Koichiro Ichimura, Rumiko Onodera, and Yuto Kawasaki
- Subjects
musculoskeletal diseases ,0303 health sciences ,business.industry ,Nutrient artery ,Elbow ,General Medicine ,Fibular artery ,Anatomy ,musculoskeletal system ,03 medical and health sciences ,Posterior tibial artery ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,030301 anatomy & morphology ,medicine.artery ,Flexor Digitorum Longus ,Medicine ,Tibia ,Fibula ,business ,Cadaveric spasm ,030304 developmental biology - Abstract
The location of nutrient foramina has been extensively studied in long bones; however, accurate information on the origin and extra-osseous course of the nutrient artery remains clearly defined in some long bones, although it is crucial to protect the nutrient arteries during operative procedures. In this study, we elucidated the origin and extra-osseous course of tibial and fibular nutrient arteries based on the 54 cadaveric legs. The tibial nutrient artery typically arose from the posterior tibial artery. Some of the tibial nutrient arteries arose from the anterior tibial, popliteal, and fibular arteries. The tibial nutrient artery arose from these parent arteries as a long descending branch. It penetrated the most proximal portion of the tibialis posterior or flexor digitorum longus to enter the tibial nutrient foramen. The fibular nutrient artery arose from the fibular artery as a short descending branch in all the cases. The fibular nutrient artery penetrated the flexor hallucis longus to enter the fibular nutrient foramen. Our present and previous findings provide new insight into the anatomical characteristics for the nutrient arteries in the long bones of upper and lower extremities. Namely, the nutrient arteries of the long bones go away from the elbow or knee to enter the nutrient foramina.
- Published
- 2021