Angiosomes of the Ulnar Nerve at the Elbow: A Cadaver Trial Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
| Autor: | Lukas F. Reissig, Stefan Meng, Wolfgang Weninger, Tobias Rossmann, Wolfgang K. Pfisterer, Wolfgang Grisold |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
musculoskeletal diseases
Acoustics and Ultrasonics Elbow Biophysics Superior ulnar collateral artery Ulnar Artery Cadaver medicine.artery Elbow Joint medicine Humans Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Ulnar nerve Ulnar Nerve Cubital tunnel Posterior ulnar recurrent artery Radiological and Ultrasound Technology business.industry Inferior ulnar collateral artery Anatomy musculoskeletal system body regions medicine.anatomical_structure Ligament business |
| Zdroj: | Ultrasound in medicinebiology. 47(12) |
| ISSN: | 1879-291X |
| Popis: | Three major arteries supplying the ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel are commonly known. However, their vascular territories (angiosomes) have not been described yet. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was used to identify the angiosomes of posterior ulnar recurrent artery, inferior ulnar collateral artery and superior ulnar collateral artery in 20 fresh, non-frozen human body donors. The arteries were cannulated, and physiologic blood flow was simulated. Contrast agent was applied in each vessel in a randomized sequence, and the length of the contrast-enhancing ulnar nerve segment was measured by a radiologist blinded to the sequence. The angiosome of the posterior ulnar recurrent artery overlaps both other angiosomes. It fully covers the cubital tunnel in 63.6% of specimens. In addition, collateral flow via nerve and muscle branches of the arterial anastomotic network around the elbow (rete articulare cubiti) partly maintains the intra-neural blood flow in the absence of a vascular pedicle. The posterior ulnar recurrent artery is the dominant nutrient vessel of the ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel. A potential watershed zone exists proximal to the Osborne ligament. Knowledge of these angiosomes may advance surgery of the ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|