Regional Peripheral Vascular Supply Based on the Superficial Temporal Artery in Dogs and Cats

Abstract

Cutaneous arterial blood supply to the temporal region was evaluated in 8 dogs and 8 cats. Subtraction radiography and angiography of the carotid and superficial temporal arteries were used in 4 dogs and 4 cats to determine arterial blood supply to the temporal region and frontalis muscle. A myocutaneous axial pattern flap based on the superficial temporal artery and frontalis muscle may be indicated for cosmetic reconstruction in dogs and cats following surgical resection of neoplastic lesions or traumatic wounds in the maxillofacial region. The frontalis muscle was identified as the thin subcutaneous continuation of the platysma muscle extending cranially and rostrally. Dissection of the temporal region in 4 dogs and 4 cats revealed the subcutaneous location of the superficial temporal artery as it continues rostrally from the caudal aspect of the zygomatic arch.

Axial Pattern Flap Based on a Cutaneous Branch of the Facial Artery in Cats

“…We were unable to radiograph the skin flap without superimposition of the bones of the skull, a limitation that might have been overcome by using subtraction radiography as described experimentally for the superficial temporal axial pattern flap. 4 To partly overcome some of these technical limitations, we undertook a specific perfusion study of the skin flap with the intent of demonstrating that the skin flap was supplied by a branch of the facial artery and that the flap had an adequate blood supply. To achieve this, the flap was raised, as it would be clinically, before injection of methylene blue.…”

“…3 Caudal auricular, superficial temporal, and omocervical axial pattern flaps have been described for reconstruction of facial defects in cats. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Skin flaps based on the caudal auricular and omocervical arteries are located on the neck. A long flap is required when using these flaps to treat a facial skin defect; however, longer skin flaps have an increased likelihood of partial necrosis.…”

Investigation and clinical application of a novel axial pattern flap for nasal and facial reconstruction in the dog

“…The incorporation of a direct cutaneous artery and vein into the base of skin flaps enables single‐stage transfer of large areas of skin 10 . Reconstruction of large nasal and facial wounds, however, has been limited by a paucity of reported regional direct cutaneous vascular pedicles capable of supporting a sufficiently sized skin flap to achieve primary closure, with the superficial temporal, 5,6 caudal auricular 7–9 and superficial cervical 10 axial pattern flaps being relevant to facial reconstruction.…”

Axial Pattern Flap Based on the Cutaneous Branch of the Superficial Temporal Artery in Dogs: An Experimental Study and Case Report

“…The dogs were placed in ventral recumbency and the temporal region was clipped and prepared for aseptic surgery. Guidelines for flap location were based on results of cadaver and vascular studies 9 . Fluoroscopic carotid artery angiography with subtraction views performed in that study documented the cranial and caudal borders of the STA flap to be within the primary angiosome of the cutaneous branch of the STA (Fig 1).…”