Background: The medial plantar venous flap is suitable for reconstruction of the palmar surface of the finger. However, it is sometimes difficult to detect and harvest the distal subcutaneous vein of the flap. In such a situation, the communicating vein can be used as a distal vein for the flap. However, the location of these veins is not obvious.
Methods: By using 20 feet from 10 cadavers and ultrasound imaging for 40 feet from 20 healthy individuals, we investigated the location of communicating veins.
Results: In cadavers, 11 communicating veins (45.8%, n = 24) were located in the area above the abductor hallucis muscle and 12 veins (50%) in the area below it. Ultrasound imaging revealed 15 bifurcations of the communicating veins (31.3%, n = 48) in the upper area and 27 bifurcations in the lower area of the medial plantar region (56.3%).
Conclusion: It was observed that the communicating veins were concentrated in the areas above and below the abductor hallucis muscle.