1991 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 13-26
As a series of studies in our laboratory, the distribution of arterial supply in human skeletal muscle has been examined. In this paper, the observation of the distribution of arterial supply is reported by using the acrilic pigment injected into the arteries of tibialis posterior muscle of 10 bodies with 20 side cases of Japanese adults. 1) The tibialis posterior muscle is mainly supplied by the branch of A. peronea (Pe), and the branches of A. tibialis posterior propria (Tpp, SATO, '84), A. tibialis posterior communis (Tpc, SATO, '84), A. tibialis anterior (Ta) and A. poplitea (Po) are distributed into this muscle. As the ramifications, the common trunk (om) with M. poaliteus, M. soleus, M. flexor digitorum longus and M. flexor hallucis longus etc. and R. m. tibialis posterior (Rmtp) which supplies only this muscle are reco gnized. 2) The classification and the frequency of the distribution pattern of nutrient arteries. Type I: Po is distributed at muscle bundles around the upper part of the edge of origin, Ta and Tpc are distributed at the upper part of the upper half, and Pe and Tpp are distributed at the upper part of the lower half, the middle part and the lower part (5 %). Type II: Po is lacking from Type I (55%). Type III: Po and Tpc are lacking from Type I (35%). Type IV: Po and Ta are lacking from Type I (5%). Maily Rmtp is distributed from Pe, and om is distributed from Tpp. 3) The distribution area of nutrient arteries is as follows. Type I: Po is 2.2%, Ta 2.5%, Tpc 11.4%, Tpp 13.3% and Pe 70.6%. Type II: Ta is 15.0%, Tpc 11.5%, Tpp 17.3% and Pe 56.1%. Type III: Ta is 20.4%, Tpc 18.1% and Pe 61.5%. Type IV: Tpc is 20.1%, Tpp 25.9% and Pe 53.9 %, On the average of all cases, Pe supplies 58.6% of all muscle and 45.8% of them are supplied by Pe (Rmtp). 4) In all the cases, it is recognized that the arterial branches of A. nutricia tibiae (the average ratio of the distribution area is 14.1%) are supplied to this muscle. Among them there are 55% that branching points are at Ta, 35% are at Tpc and 10% are at Tpp. 5) Total numbers of nutrient artery were counted from 14 to 23 and highest frequency of its appearance was 17 (20%).
