THE MUSCULAR VASCULAR INDEX - ANALYSIS OF THE BLOOD-SUPPLY OF MUSCLES OF THE FOREARM

The results of an anatomic study based on 50 fresh adult cadaver upper extremities are analysed. All the arterial pedicles of each forearm muscle were counted, and each muscle was weighed. Each forearm contained an average number of 264 muscular pedicles. The relative mass fraction of each muscle was calculated, as was its << muscular vascular index >> or MVI (number of pedicles divided by the weight of the muscle in grams). Half of the forearm muscles had a significant statistical relationship between their weight and their number of vascular pedicles. The other half had no statistical relationship. These two statistical muscular groups (with and without a statistical relationship) did not clearly correspond to anatomic or functional groups. No muscular group based on the average of MVI was found. Each of the 20 forearm muscle had finally its own characteristics of weight, number of pedicles, and MVI. The average MVI was 0.9 (from 0.4 to 1.8). The global muscular vascular index (GMVI) is the division of the total number of muscular pedicles of a forearm by the total muscular weight of this forearm. The average GMVI was 0.8 (from 0.4 to 1.6). In spite of its theoretical and practical limits, the MVI concept approximately reflects the high vascular density of the forearm muscles.