Blood Supply of the Temporal Flap Pedicled With Orbicularis Oculi Muscle: Anatomy and Its Clinical Implications

Abstract

Background: Traumatic injury or tumor resection can lead to eyelid defects, nasal defects, and cheek defects. The temporal flap pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM) can be used to repair these defects. This cadaver-based anatomic study aimed to evaluate the blood supply of this flap and investigate its clinical implications. Methods: Twenty hemifaces from 10 cadavers were used in this study. The number of arteries supplying OOM of the flap, the diameter of the artery entering OOM, and the maximum width of OOM were recorded. All data were presented as mean±SD values and analyzed using Student t-test. A P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of these 10 specimens, 7 were males and 3 were females. The average age was 67.7 years (range, 53–78 y). The number of arteries supplying OOM was 8.5±1.4 in the male and 7.8±1.2 in the female. The diameter of the zygomatico-orbital artery was detected as 0.53±0.06 mm in the male and 0.40±0.11 mm in the female. The maximum width of OOM was detected as 2.5±0.1 cm in the male and 2.2±0.1 cm in the female. Males had significantly larger average values than females in the diameter of zygomatico-orbital artery and maximum width of OOM (P=0.012, P<0.001, respectively). However, the number of arteries supplying OOM did not differ significantly between sex (P=0.322). Conclusions: We conclude that the blood supply of the temporal flap pedicled with OOM is abundant and reliable. The findings provide surgeons with valuable anatomic knowledge for repairing facial defects with this flap.