Aim of the study: Incisions through the abdominal wall are based on anatomical principles and Rectus abdominis muscle provides an excellent myocutaneous flap. The present work was proposed to identify variations in numbers and location of tendinous intersections of the Rectus Abdominis muscle in the cadavers as a guide to the surgical procedures.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 54 cadavers of North Indian origin allotted to undergraduate medical student for Anatomy dissection classes. Manual dissection was done to identify tendinous intersections of the Rectus Abdominis muscle with reference to number and location.
Results: In the present study one cadaver had five tendinous intersections (1.85%), one cadaver had four tendinous intersections (1.85%) and 52 cadavers had three tendinous intersections (96.29%).
Conclusion: The present study is an effort to provide data about the anatomical variation in numbers and location of tendinous intersections of the Rectus Abdomini muscles. Rectus abdominis muscle provides an excellent myocutaneous flap because the muscle belly is separated from surrounding tissue within the rectus sheath. This study is representative of a small study of the human population and only serves to illustrate the variations in the anatomy of the tendinous intersections. More extensive studies are required to establish a definitive pattern among local populations to serve as a guide for surgical procedures.
Keywords: Breast reconstruction; Surgical Flaps; TRAM Flaps.