OBJECTIVETo study the course of branches of the superficial temporal artery (BSTA) and the accompanying pattern of their veins in order to provide anatomic basis for flap design.

METHODSHead and facial part of ten adult corpses (19 sides) were dissected and photographed. The coordinate system was set up with external auditory foramen as the point of origin, aided by the graph analysis software Digimizer. The course of the frontal branch and parietal branch of the superficial temporal artery (STA), and the accompanying pattern between the BSTA and the veins were measured and analyzed. The STA and its branches were located by Ultrasonic Doppler, and the corresponding branches of the superficial temporal vein (BSTV) were disclosed by bowing patient's head with breath holding or cerclaging the basement of the patient's skull. And then 10 sides of transposition (fascia) flaps with axis at the angular bisector between BSTA and BSTV were devised to repair wounds of 9 patients that hospitalized from February 2008 to December 2009. Data were processed with test of variance homogeneity.

RESULTSFrontal BSTV absence was found in 6 head sides, and the maximum distance between artery and vein was (2.1 ± 1.2) cm. Parietal BSTV absence was found in 3 head sides, and the maximum distance was (1.4 ± 0.7) cm. The distance between frontal BSTA and BSTV was larger than that between parietal BSTA and BSTV, and the dispersion degree of the former was higher than that of the latter (F = 0.0404, P = 0.0475). All the (fascia) flaps survived without congestion or necrosis.

CONCLUSIONSWhen branch of the superficial temporal vessel was selected as the axial vessel of flap, the flap design shall depend on the accompanying pattern of BSTV to avoid the flap necrosis due to poor venous return after surgery. The superficial temporal vein and its branches can be well disclosed by bowing head or cerclaging skull. The approach is simple, useful, safe, and reliable.