Superficial temporal artery flap: its development and application in the dog and cat

Abstract

Cutaneous arterial blood supply to the temporal region was evaluated in 8 dogs and 8 cats. Dissection of 4 dog and 4 cat cadavers revealed the location of cutaneous branches of the superficial telnporaJ artery supplying the frontalis tnuscle and skin of the temporal region. The frontalis 1l1uscle is a thin muscle dorsal to the temporaJis muscle that extends cranially and rostral1y from the rostral border of the scutulU111 to the forehead and upper eyelid. Microangiography and subtraction radiography of the external carotid and superficial telnporal arteries were used in 4 dogs and 4 cats to determine arterial blood supply to the temporal region and frontalis muscle. A superficial temporal artery (ST A) flap was developed in 9 dogs [ group A (n=5), group B (n=4)]. Ligation of the superficial tetnporal artery in the control dogs (n=5), rendered flaps dependent on the subdermal plexus. Dogs in group A (n=5) and the control group (n=5) had flap lengths that extended to the contralateral eye, while group B (n=4) flaps extended to the contralateral zygomatic arch. A11 flap widths were equivalent to the width of the zygomatic arch in the individual dog. Mean length of surviving tissue (mean survival length) (+/- SD) of control flaps was 7.0 (0.6) ern, compared with experimental flaps, group A 9.) (0.8) em and group B 10.4 0.1) cm. Mean survival percentage area of control flaps was 73.5 (7.4) %, compared with experimental flaps, group A 93.1 (7.5) 0/0 and group B 69.1 (4.5) 0/0. The mean survival length of control and experimental flaps was significantly different (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between survival lengths of the experimental groups.