The vascular anatomy and harvesting of the medial femoral condyle flap in pigs

Clinically, there has been increasing employment of the medial femoral condyle flap. Pigs have been employed as a model of the medial femoral condyle flap. However, related anatomical studies from the perspective of comparative medicine are rare. The objective of this study was to explore the vascular anatomy of the medial femoral condyle in pigs, explore the surgical procedure of the medial femoral condyle flap in pigs, and compare the medial femoral condyle flap in pigs and humans.

20 fresh cadaveric hindlimbs of hybrid pigs were used in this study. The origination, course, and branches of the vessels nourishing the medial femoral condyle were observed in 15 specimens. The variability in the anatomy of the vessels and the length and outer diameter of the vessels were evaluated. Surgical procedures for the medial femoral condyle flap were conducted on five specimens.

The nourishing artery of the medial femoral condyle in pigs was the second descending geniculate artery, which was observed in all 15 pigs and had a diameter and length of 2.013 ± 0.316 mm and 1.527 ± 0.212 cm, respectively. A skin incision of approximately 10 cm was used to harvest the medial femoral condyle flap of the pig in the supine position. After the adductor muscle was cut, the whole course of the second descending geniculate artery artery and its venae comitantes were exposed.

The vascular anatomy of the medial femoral condyle in pigs and that of humans exhibited great similarities. The medial femoral condyle flap in pigs was as easily harvested as that in humans. Pigs could serve as a suitable animal model for the medial femoral condyle flap.