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Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy 4/2019

01-04-2019 | Original Article

Anatomical variations of the subscapular pedicle and its terminal branches: an anatomical study and a reappraisal in the light of current surgical approaches

Authors: Martin Lhuaire, Mikael Hivelin, Mohamed Derder, Vincent Hunsinger, Vincent Delmas, Peter Abrahams, Daniele Sommacale, Reza Kianmanesh, Christian Fontaine, Laurent Lantieri

Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 4/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

While anatomical variations of the subscapular vessels are frequently encountered during axillary dissection, little is found in the literature. The aim of this cadaveric study was to define arterial and venous anatomical variations and frequencies of the subscapular vascular pedicle and its terminal/afferent vessels in women.

Methods

We performed 80 dissections of the axillary region on forty female formalin-embalmed cadavers. Each anatomical arrangement was photographed and recorded on a scheme before analysis.

Results

We propose a new classification of the subscapular pedicle variations. We observed three types of subscapular arterial variation. The type Ia was the most frequent arrangement (71% of our dissections), the type Ib was observed in 11% and the type II in 18% of cases. We observed four types of subscapular venous variation. The type Ia was observed in 63% of cases, the type Ib in 14%, the type II in 14% and the type III in 10% of cases.

Conclusions

This knowledge of the anatomical variation arrangement and frequencies of the subscapular vascular pedicle will assist the surgeon when dissecting the axillary region for malignant or reconstructive procedures.
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Metadata
Title
Anatomical variations of the subscapular pedicle and its terminal branches: an anatomical study and a reappraisal in the light of current surgical approaches
Authors
Martin Lhuaire
Mikael Hivelin
Mohamed Derder
Vincent Hunsinger
Vincent Delmas
Peter Abrahams
Daniele Sommacale
Reza Kianmanesh
Christian Fontaine
Laurent Lantieri
Publication date
01-04-2019
Publisher
Springer Paris
Published in
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy / Issue 4/2019
Print ISSN: 0930-1038
Electronic ISSN: 1279-8517
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2161-7

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